Prosecutors request review of bridenapping sentence

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The mother in Utah County's infamous bridenapping case may be headed back to court after the doctor who conducted her psychological evaluation wrote that she may not be able to comply with the terms of her sentence because he says she suffers from a personality disorder.

Julia and Lemuel Redd were initially charged with kidnapping after their daughter, Julianna Myers, said they forcibly took her to Grand Junction, Colo., on Aug. 4, 2006 -- the day before her wedding -- to prevent her from getting married. Myers missed her wedding, but later married Perry Myers.

When Julia Redd and her husband pleaded guilty to custodial interference in November, Judge James Taylor ordered her to undergo a mental health evaluation and complete any recommended treatment. But a report from the doctor who evaluated Redd questions her ability to comply with that order.

According to a motion filed by the prosecution, the report said Redd suffers from components of narcissistic personality disorder. People with personality disorders rarely respond to treatment, the report said.

"Without a period of incarceration and involvement and successful completion of the treatment I have outlined above, it is my belief that there is little chance that she will make the needed changes," Dr. C.Y. Roby wrote.

Deputy county attorney Curtis Larson, who filed the motion, said the judge should re-evaluate Redd's sentence if she is unable to comply with his sentence.

"Since we've got the doctor saying it's highly unlikely really that she's going to be able to complete a ... mental health treatment program, we've got to bring it back before the judge so he can make a decision on how to go forward with the sentencing, modification of the sentence or whatever he wants to do with it," Larson said.

Larson said he is not necessarily pushing for a harsher sentence for Redd.

"I'm not pushing one way or the other. All I'm simply doing is bringing it back before the court because he has indicated that she won't be able to complete a mental health treatment program," he said.

Redd has not yet filed a response to Larson's motion. Rhome Zabriskie, Redd's defense attorney, could not be reached for comment.

The week before the case was scheduled to go to trial, the Redds pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of custodial interference, a class A misdemeanor. Taylor sentenced the Monticello couple to 36 months of probation, ordered that they undergo mental health evaluations and ordered them to pay Perry Myers $2,000 for the pre-wedding dinner Julianna missed when they took her to Colorado.

Jeremy Duda can be reached at 344-2561 or jduda@heraldextra.com.

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