PTSD on Trial:Wife dead, Iraq veteran convicted

Double tragedy? Some will say no because this wife was murdered. Who did it was not in question. That was known. Ricardo Cortez shot Nikki Fix-Cortez. Her family has closure because "justice" has been granted. They will never have to wonder who killed their daughter or regret that he was not punished for doing it. The rest, we may never know.

There are two families in this. There are two stories in this. A man goes to serve his country and his company in Iraq. A wife waited at home. If she was leaving him, we may never know why. She was pregnant and it is not usual for a wife to leave her husband while pregnant, so there has to be more here.

This story is played out across the nation everyday. A veteran returns from combat with the war inside of him. He is judged by those who came home with just memories trapped in their minds but their ghosts were left behind. There are domestic violence issues that happen because a spouse is in the wrong place, at the wrong time with the wrong reaction simply because they don't know what PTSD does or what it can do. A combat veteran carries his wound well and tries to hide it but the anger and silence, the mood swings and pushing away are screams from his soul begging for help.

If Cortez has PTSD we need to wonder if this death could have been avoided. We need to wonder what else could have been done. If there was anything anyone could have done beside Cortez himself. What about all the others?

There are judges in different parts of the country setting up veteran's courts so they can render justice with knowledge and understanding of the uniqueness of these veterans. These courts deal with minor crimes and not murder. We really have to wonder if the judges dealing with murder cases are as informed as they can be to be able to provide the proper justice and then we need to wonder if while the veteran is incarcerated, if he is getting any help or not.

What I'm trying to say is that while some people will read this post and think "good justice is served" we really don't know if it was or not. Two families facing the rest of their lives with this in their mind, a wife stays in an early grave and a veteran, a man who was willing to lay down his life for this country, will see the rest of his days behind bars. kc

Iraq war veteran convicted in death of wife

The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Nov 13, 2008 18:09:45 EST

GREELEY, Colo. — An Iraq war veteran has been convicted of first-degree murder in the shotgun death of his 21-year-old pregnant wife.

A jury took just 2½ hours to convict Ricardo Cortez Thursday in the Sept. 16, 2007, slaying of Nikki Fix-Cortez.

The 25-year-old Cortez pleaded innocent by reason of insanity. The defense said he suffers from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

A psychologist testified that the PTSD stemmed partly from Cortez’s work as a medic during two tours in Iraq and from being molested by his father.

Prosecutors say Cortez shot his wife twice in the back because she was leaving him.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/11/ap_shootingdeath_111308/