A California judge today postponed a hearing to decide whether James MacDonald will receive a mental health diversion in his felony assault case until June 4.
MacDonald was charged with felony assault on March 22, 2023, after police say he assaulted a 59-year-old woman after hitting her parked car. The incident required the woman, Coronado resident, Barbara Bass, to be hospitalized for 21 days.
MacDonald now is petitioning the court for a mental health diversion for his alleged PTSD. If granted, MacDonald would receive treatment instead of prosecution.
According to San Diego Superior Court Judge Enrique Camarena, the prosecution today requested a continuance so they can obtain a mental health expert, which they have not yet done. The last hearing in this case was four months ago.
Also, the defense did not have a treatment plan to present to the court, Camarena said.
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Camarena emphasized in his comments to the court that the mental health diversion, if granted, requires that the defendant receives treatment for his mental health condition.
Camarena noted that California’s mental health diversion, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2023, is still new and its application is still being worked out. But he said the defense needs to present a detailed treatment plan so the prosecution can review the plan to see if it’s reasonable.
Camarena also mentioned that one of MacDonald’s lawyers, Michael Pancer, defended the man convicted of murdering Camarena’s father, former DEA agent, Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985.
Camarena said Pancer wanted to give Camarena an opportunity to recuse himself from the case. Camarena said he had never met Pancer prior to today and felt no need to recuse himself since his father’s case and MacDonald’s case are not connected in any way.
Present for today’s hearing was James MacDonald, his wife, Kathy MacDonald, MacDonald’s two lawyers, and the mental health expert who diagnosed MacDonald’s alleged PTSD, Dr. Shannae Anderson.
According to the mental health report by Dr. Anderson presented at MacDonald’s hearing in October, MacDonald’s actions on March 22, 2023, was a function of MacDonald’s PTSD. According to Anderson, the PTSD was caused by my reporting on MacDonald.
This reporting, y un vulgar hot mic recording of MacDonald’s, caused Chicago-area Harvest Bible Chapel to fire MacDonald in February 2019 for actions “contrary and harmful to the best interests of the church.”
“Once the woman in the car in front of (MacDonald) got out of the car and moved towards him in an angry and agitated state, the years of traumatic memories of being vilified by Julie Roys rushed back to him and triggered a fight or flight response,” Anderson stated in her report. “Feeling powerless and misunderstood and essentially trapped in his truck, he got out of the vehicle to fight back against his accuser.’”
Also present at today’s hearing was MacDonald’s alleged victim, Barbara Bass, and her husband, Stephen Bass, who’s a retired Navy Seal and the first person to earn the Navy Cross since 1989.
Still recovering from the injuries she received on March 22, Bass walked slowly with the help of a cane. Once in the courtroom, where MacDonald was present, Bass’s body began to shake. After leaving the courtroom, she went to the waiting room in the prosecutor’s office, sat down, put her head in her hands, and cried.
El Informe Roys (TRR) spoke with San Diego Deputy District Attorney Alexsis Lamprea after the hearing. Lamprea said her office will continue to fight MacDonald’s mental health diversion. We asked if her office had obtained the recently published depositions from MacDonald’s defamation lawsuit against Chicago shock-jock Mancow Muller, showing MacDonald had a history of violence predating TRR’s reporting on him. Lamprea seemed unaware of the depositions and said her office had not.
MacDonald’s hearing June 4 is set for 8:30 a.m.
Julie Roys es una reportera de investigación veterana y fundadora de The Roys Report. Anteriormente, también presentó un programa de entrevistas nacional en Moody Radio Network, llamado Up for Debate, y ha trabajado como reportera de televisión para una filial de CBS. Sus artículos han aparecido en numerosas publicaciones periódicas.
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31 Respuestas
You’re one incredibly smart woman Julie. You’re doing not only the job of a journalist, but that of the prosecutor as well. Reporting that you made her aware of those transcripts was genius. MacDonald should know by now that he can’t outmaneuver you.
Jesus had an effective way of dealing with people who were crazy.
“When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and *in his right mind*” (Mark 5:36).
Mark 5:36 provides: Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
I don’t understand the point you are trying to make regardless.
Thank you so much for your hard work Julie!
You amaze me with your steadfast dedication to truth.
May the full truth be brought out, may justice be done & God’s will prevail. Sad to say, this shows how lacking many in our govmt are when Julie had to be the person to inform the prosecutor’s office of the facts pertaining to James McDonald. This man obviously has no regard for the truth which tells me he doesn’t really know or honor The Almighty. It brings to mind these words of Jesus, “Depart from me; I never knew you.” I pray for Mrs. Bass and her family. She deserves justice. Good work, Julie!
So disappointed in the prosecution. I’m sure they are overworked in that office. But not hiring an expert yet when the hearing was set 4 months ago for today? No basic workup to oppose an important dispositive motion which relies on expert opinion? They do have more than one lawyer in the office. This is neglect. The defense has no proposed treatment plan to present yet, despite their expert’s opinion? Sounds like nobody there is taking today’s hearing seriously except the victim & her husband. I hope she files a civil suit against JM. It may be the only thing that provides some measure of relief for her injuries, rehab & therapy.
Thank you. So well said.
But I cannot help but wonder: Is this perplexing professional neglect truly due to an overworked San Diego District Attorneys office stretched too thin?
Or are we witnessing a more politically-motivated passivity?
I was sobered when I realized that this year-old state mental health diversion is part of a wider Proposition 1 that Governor Newsome is promoting on the March ballot.
Perhaps the DA office has reason to want this case to be quietly resolved without public attention being drawn to MacDonald’s decades-long history of erratic, aggressive, abusive and physically violent behavior.
So many have PTSD from the torment of James MacDonald! All of his horrific acts of bullying and degrading people…how dare he claim PTSD. I hope he gets his due. I’m sick of what he’s doing to hurt the faith of so many and cause concern and doubt. He’s a disaster. I hope and pray that justice prevails.
“the years of traumatic memories of being vilified by Julie Roys rushed back to him and triggered a fight or flight response,” Anderson stated in her report. “Feeling powerless and misunderstood and essentially trapped in his truck, he got out of the vehicle to fight back against his accuser.’” If you pay a lawyer and/or a medical professional enough money they will say anything you want! Julie, you should be ashamed of yourself for being the cause of James McDonald’s violent behavior especially since he had a long history of it prior to your reporting of “Hard times at Harvest” and of all the other documented incidents of the cruelty/violence he has inflicted on others! How does the saying go? Justice delayed is justice denied. Stay on it Julie. You are doing an excellent job in the calling the Lord has established you in. God bless you and your family.
“Camarena also mentioned that one of MacDonald’s lawyers, Michael Pancer, defended the man convicted of murdering Camarena’s father, former DEA agent, Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985.”
I remember that case: I was in college in South Texas at the time. According to his website, Mr. Pancer has been in practice since 1968, which means he must be about 80. I suggest that he is part of Mr. MacDonald’s “legal team” purely for the purpose of raising a potential conflict of interest with the judge, and thereby delaying Mr. MacDonald’s legal process potentially forever.
I find it unsurprising that the prosecution was unprepared: they are terribly overworked, and, to San Diego County, Mr. MacDonald is just some guy, not a religious Big Cheese. The fact that the defense was unprepared seems like either incompetence on the part of attorney Marc Carlos, or, more likely, another ploy to delay the decision.
The victim is physically harmed (20 days in hospital) and Mr MacDonald isn’t in jail? I guess there’s some detail I’m missing, but that seems crazy… but I guess he’s a well-connected white guy…
If you read the news, countless people of all colors commit violent crimes and IF they are caught, and IF they are then arrested, and IF they then go to trial, they often do not serve any time.
It’s the new approach to creating more “equity” in criminal “justice.”
Don’t blame the aggressor…blame their circumstances.
How do you beat up a woman and not go to jail?
Most people don’t go to jail pre-trial these days.
Justice has become a joke in our society and in The Church too. The pendulum has swung over into the far, far left and it shows. It will swing back and too far, for lawlessness in the forms that it takes it worse than drakonianism. Those with fame and money can currently get away with about anything.
How do you beat up a woman and not go to jail?
You do it in a blue city or state.
That happens in red states and red cities/towns as well, especially if the perp is wealthy or is a well-connected member of the community. And for other crimes as well. Like Josh Duggar when he molested his sisters. He just got stern talking to by the local sheriff (who later when to prison for child porn) all because of his daddy (and Mike Huckabee as well).
I pray for Mrs. Bass and family and also that there will be much more evidence brought forward to help their legal team prove the PTSD claim is malarkey…jail time or house confinement, he needs to suffer real consequences…
Oh my word! Read about Stephen Bass and his actions that were awarded the Navy Cross! I am appalled and angered that James MacDonald can claim PTSD when I read the heroic and valiant actions of the then Chief Petty Officer Bass! If anyone should have PTSD, it is Mr. And Mrs. Bass…along with the others who have suffered spiritual abuse by JMac.
Sounds like the prosecutor’s team needs all the help (and encouragement) they can get moving this forward, whatever the reasons for their seeming ineptitude or indifference. Glad you have people out there asking questions and following up.
The wheels of criminal justice turn slowly when it involves a defendant with resources, and the established political/legal climate in California doesn’t exactly help. Meanwhile, as long as he doesn’t violate bail, a potentially dangerous defendant gets to roam freely for months to years while his lawyers contemplate their next chess move to drag things out even further.
At some point, voters need to wake up and pay attention to the legislators, judges, and district attorneys they continue to empower, and the parties or other organizations that back them. Too many of these seats are filled without truly competitive elections, and sooner or later, we get the legal systems we deserve.
I am confused. Did James have road rage? Did he hit her on purpose and then get out and wrestle with her?
Not PTSD… There is something like ADHD or Bi-Polar I could see. He talks a mile a minute. Thinks very quickly. Seems not to take personal responsibility for any of his actions. Struggles with weight. Reactionary, Angry, Compulsive. (Bought Motorcycles for his team) says things without thinking. Extremely creative. Gifted communicator.
Thank you for all your fine work Julie. I hope James gets the correct medication treatment through all of this and some day apologizes and thanks you personally.
The interesting thing here is how much of this has to do with women.
James quite literally wrote the book on acting like a man. He also asserts it’s the fault of another woman that he gave a woman a beating. This comes from a man who believes women are not suitable for leadership. I’m certainly not a fan of this line of thinking.
He is a creep and an unrepentant THIEF. I know many parents and past employees who had experience with him at HCA. He’s on the same level as Copeland, Crefco Dollar, TD Jakes etc. Once you know how evil this person is, why is his support not ZERO? Maybe because those supporters have been given over to a strong delusion? hmmm…
kent,
Every Christian should read one–or several–books on the psychology of persuasion. For instance, Robert Cialdini’s “Influence.” Study the chapter on commitment and consistency. When a person has made a stand–such as years given to a church, denomination, or individual pastor–they have a fear or at least an aversion to reversing that stand.
Kent WB,
From personnel experience having friends involved in JMD Home Church Network (HcN), you cannot question his actions, sermons, anger, or fundraising schemes, without an immediate attack from them. They will use DARVO to say he is a victim, he has been through enough, they personally vouch for his character (while sharing he brags about owning a $80,000 truck, expensive house, wants to be the leader of a biker club, etc … ) Regardless of the truth you present to them, it does not matter whether you use a scriptural rebuke, or pointing out his hypocrisy (he will contradict himself from one sentence to the next), and pointing the mind control techniques he employs (one example is the violent imagery meditation he uses during his sermons). Or the extravagant lifestyle he enjoys, while accusing the congregation of using “God’s money” to buy things they do not need, instead of donating it. They stopped doing HcN right around the time he was arrested (plus he scrubbed his webpage of HcN), and they have not addressed what has happened with the group.
Not only strong delusion, but they enjoy the swill these huckster are selling, and like their ears being tickled. Assuming they stop drinking the Kool-Aid, the ever present Sunk Cost Fallacy combined with their egos and pride comes into play. To quote Mark Twain, “It is easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled.
James MacDonald should thank whatever god he worships (as it is not the God of the Bible) that Barbara Bass (and especially her husband Stephen) are letting the criminal and judicial processes unfold. As a result, James (and whatever “armor bearers/bodyguards he has) should consider themselves lucky to be still alive.
Given Stephen Bass’s particular background and skill set (Navy SEAL), MacDonald and his entire bodyguard entourage could easily be eliminated (terminated with extreme prejudice) without Bass breaking a sweat and probably with his bare hands. Also, if Stephen was with his wife when MacDonald attacked, James would either end up a permanent invalid having his meals supplied by a feeding tube or end up on a slab in the morgue.
Something right of out the Tom Clancy novel “Without Remorse”. To quote Dryden, “Beware the fury of a patient man.”
Well said … he’s either the most fragile snowflake in North America, or one of the most manipulative schemers this side of donald trump, trying to claim PTSD
This man and his sons are beyond belief as men claiming to be shepherds of other human beings
Dopes should wake up who still try and platform this brood
Of course, if such a fate were to befall James MacDonald at the hands of Stephen Bass (or someone else’s spouse or relative he tries to attack or bully), then I certainly would not shed a tear for his demise (you reap what you so, karma is a ______, etc.). To quote Clarence Darrow (and misattributed to Mark Twain), “I’ve never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.”
I’m gonna pray for James. I’m gonna pray the Holy Spirit comes upon him. I’m pray that he would be born again & spared the eternal wrath of a Holy God.
James Macdonald IS UNIQUE…
By master manipulator JMac’s and the enablers on his legal team’s twisted thinking, apparently having one’s long-term, repetitive abusive ways accurately reported allows someone to then come out of his safe vehicle and viciously attack and injure a much smaller person. If this nonsense is given further credence in the courts, then those whose evil deeds are brought to light through factual reporting can also feel free to beat up people who irritate them without fear of serious consequences including incarceration and large financial penalties, as JMac deserves.
Dr. Shannae Anderson, an adjunct professor at Liberty University, should look into all the details of JMac’s sordid history before she further ruins her reputation and that of Liberty by defending him.