Remember that Kansas man who demanded “trial by combat” with his ex-wife, and said he did it for media attention? The court-ordered evaluation in Shelby County, Iowa determined that he’s actually sane under the law. Now David Ostrom, who is making his case pro se, wants his ex and her lawyer to undergo a psychological evaluation just he like he did, according to The Des Moines Register.
His exam determined that he was just angry about his ongoing dispute with Bridgette Ostrom. David Ostrom is considered mentally sound under the law. Whether he’s going to win the dispute is an unanswered question.
“It essentially says I’m not crazy, I just don’t like being denied access to my children,” he told the outlet.
The ex-husband isn’t just directing his ire toward his former spouse, but also her lawyer. Bridgette Ostrom and her attorney Matthew Hudson did not respond to requests for comment from the Register.
David Ostrom’s demand for trial by combat caught attention in January: he challenged his wife to a duel with Japanese swords, and said that it was fine if Hudson stepped in on her behalf.
The court dispute is reportedly over custody over the kids, and property tax.
David Ostrom complained in January that his ex “destroyed” him legally, and he attempted to argue that trial by combat was never explicitly banned in the United States. Hudson’s response: that the court suspend the ex-husband’s visitation rights, and make him subject to a psych eval. Judge Craig Dreismeier almost fulfilled the request to the letter, temporarily limiting David Ostrom in March from seeing his children without supervision until he took the psych eval.
“To some extent, David’s feelings concerning the outcome of the dissolution trial and what has transpired afterward, are understandable,” the judge wrote. “Unfortunately, how he has dealt with those feelings is very concerning to this court.”
At the time, Ostrom said he didn’t intend on scheduling a visit with his kids under this condition because “It leaves a really bad taste in my mouth.”
[Screengrab via CBS]