Judge rules Orange Park terror suspect will be mentally evaluated for the next 4 months

A U.S. District Court judge ruled Monday that the Orange Park man accused of plotting to bomb a 9/11 Kansas City memorial event is mentally unfit to stand a trial at this time.

Joshua Goldberg, 20, will spend the next four months being mentally evaluated and getting treatment to determine if he was sane at the time of the alleged crime and to determine if he can face trial after receiving treatment.

Goldberg’s parents were in the courtroom for the hearing but did not answer any questions.

“No, thank you,” Goldberg’s mother responded when asked about her thoughts on the judge’s ruling.

In September, Goldberg was sent to a federal detention facility in Miami, where he was mentally evaluated.

Forensic psychologist Dr. Lisa Feldman evaluated Goldberg and testified that she did not feel he was mentally competent to stand trial.

“The majority of his mental state ... suggested significant deficits in Mr. Goldberg’s perception of reality,” Feldman said.

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Feldman said Goldberg was placed on suicide watch and was diagnosed with unspecified schizophrenia spectrum.

She said, “He displayed very child-like behaviors.”

Feldman said Goldberg was prescribed anti-depressants, anti-psychotics and anti-anxiety medications.

Feldman testified that Goldberg reported that other inmates were trying to hurt him, but when prison staff investigated, they found nothing to support those claims.

Feldman also described concerns about Goldberg’s hygiene and said, “He refused to shower.”

Feldman weighed in a possible defense strategy and said Goldberg claimed he was only trying to help law enforcement identify terrorists by pretending to be one.

Action News Jax asked defense attorney Paul Shorstein about those claims and he said, “We're not quite at the point where I can talk about that, but certainly our position is that he had no intent to cause any sort of terrorist event."

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