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American Morning

Woman Accused of Perpetrating Hoax Now in Custody

Aired August 01, 2003 - 08:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The woman accused of perpetrating a hoax by claiming to be a family's long lost daughter is now in custody. Donna Lynette Walker turned herself in yesterday in Topeka, Kansas, where she lives. Authorities say Walker claimed to be Shannon Sherrill, who's been missing for almost 17 years. Walker is set to be in court this morning for a bail hearing and her attorney is going to join us in the next half hour.
What might motivate someone to stage a type of hoax like this?

Joining us this morning, Professor N.G. Berrill. He's a forensic psychologist at John Jay College here in New York.

Nice to see you.

Good morning.

N.G. BERRILL, FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST, JOHN JAY COLLEGE: Hi.

O'BRIEN: I guess we have to really emphasize she's going to court today. She has not been convicted of any crime. But speaking generally, there is no indication, according to police, that this woman wanted any kind of financial reward or any kind of money from the family, or, frankly, anything from the family. So what potentially could a motivation be? BERRILL: Well, you know, that would be the first thing that would cross my mind, of course, would be the motivation, the money issue. And that would make her sort of a predatory psychopath.

Falling that, I mean you have look at a really disturbed personality, someone who has a gaping hole in their psyche, you know, the kind of neediness that just oozes. And I suspect that it's possible that the events of the past several months with, I guess, Elizabeth Smart out in Utah, might have stimulated this gal to say, you know, I'm so empty and I feel so awful about myself and disconnected from people, look how wonderful it is when you emerge safe and sound, unscathed, the nation celebrates.

So I think that might have been a powerful stimulus for her to come forward and try to fill, if you will, a psychic wound by being the long lost daughter.

O'BRIEN: There are some indications from some reports that she may have pulled a stunt like this possibly six times in the past. Do you think that that information would be consistent with a psychiatric disorder? And, if so, what kind are we talking about? BERRILL: Yes, I think it would be consistent. I think this is a tremendous rush for her. As I said, if there's this gaping hole in your psyche where you feel empty, disconnected and you know these people are out there just wanting to be reunited with a lost kid, a loved one, she steps forward and for, even if it's just for a minute, is just basking in the joy and the love and the accolades and the hoopla.

O'BRIEN: It sounds so positive when you spin it that way. Are you saying she's not a malicious person? Because the family, as you well know, is so devastated...

BERRILL: Sure.

O'BRIEN: ... and so hurt all over again. Are you saying that she came to it with only sort of positive and good will feelings potentially?

BERRILL: No good will feelings. This is for her. I mean I don't think she even cares about what damage is caused to the people who she dupes. I think this is all about meeting her own needs and not even thinking for a minute how destructive and awful this is when the people find out that, you know, it just ain't so.

O'BRIEN: Have you had cases like this before, cases that you've been personally involved in?

BERRILL: Not quite like this. This is a kind of a weird one and a bit unique. But, you know, I've seen patients like this and have forensic matters where people pretend to be who they're not or people look to get needs met in very peculiar and bizarre ways. So I think it's consistent with a psychiatric disturbance.

O'BRIEN: Family members who talked to her on the phone when she said, you know, I am your long lost stepsister, said that she would cry, that she was utterly convincing, that when they would throw questions at her she didn't hesitate for a moment, she would rapid fire answer them right back.

Do you think that this woman potentially either really truly believed in her heart that she was this person, even in a sort of a psychopathic way? Or do you think that she was just cruel and knew all along that this was acting?

BERRILL: Well, it's both. I think she always knew and knows that she wasn't, you know, this kid, this long lost kid. But I think people with this kind of personality disturbance -- and what we're kind of talking about is a borderline personality disorder -- slip into roles very easily. They have as if personalities. So there's nothing real about them. So this was kind of who she was for the moment and it was just great for her. You know, this was just exciting and wonderful. And now that the balloon has popped, you'll see the tears and you'll, you know, you'll hear contrition and you'll hear all kinds of other things.

But I don't think she was ever so confused, for example, that she didn't know she wasn't this person.

O'BRIEN: Prosecutors have said they want to see her in prison. They hope she gets the maximum, which would be four years. In fact, they're disappointed it can't be more than that.

If she is, as you say, potentially a person with a severe psychiatric disorder, does she deserve mental treatment as opposed to prison time, do you think?

BERRILL: Well, structured mental health treatment. I don't know what the laws are out in her state, but you know...

O'BRIEN: Structured meaning behind bars?

BERRILL: Well, maybe not even. Maybe not. It depends on a closer examination of who she actually is. It might have sort of an imposed outpatient treatment. If she violates that she goes to jail. I mean I think there is really a significant disturbance here because there really isn't financial gain or anything else. She's just a deeply disturbed woman.

O'BRIEN: Well, but to what damage to that family.

BERRILL: Of course.

O'BRIEN: How horrible, huh?

BERRILL: Yes. No, I know.

O'BRIEN: What a terrible story.

N.G., nice to see you.

BERRILL: Sure.

O'BRIEN: Thanks for joining us this morning.

BERRILL: Sure.

O'BRIEN: We really should re-emphasize this woman has not yet been convicted of any crime, but it's interesting to get some insight on it.

Thanks.

And, also, coming up in just a few minutes, we're going to speak to the attorney for Donna Walker, as well.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired August 1, 2003 - 08:10   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The woman accused of perpetrating a hoax by claiming to be a family's long lost daughter is now in custody. Donna Lynette Walker turned herself in yesterday in Topeka, Kansas, where she lives. Authorities say Walker claimed to be Shannon Sherrill, who's been missing for almost 17 years. Walker is set to be in court this morning for a bail hearing and her attorney is going to join us in the next half hour.
What might motivate someone to stage a type of hoax like this?

Joining us this morning, Professor N.G. Berrill. He's a forensic psychologist at John Jay College here in New York.

Nice to see you.

Good morning.

N.G. BERRILL, FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST, JOHN JAY COLLEGE: Hi.

O'BRIEN: I guess we have to really emphasize she's going to court today. She has not been convicted of any crime. But speaking generally, there is no indication, according to police, that this woman wanted any kind of financial reward or any kind of money from the family, or, frankly, anything from the family. So what potentially could a motivation be? BERRILL: Well, you know, that would be the first thing that would cross my mind, of course, would be the motivation, the money issue. And that would make her sort of a predatory psychopath.

Falling that, I mean you have look at a really disturbed personality, someone who has a gaping hole in their psyche, you know, the kind of neediness that just oozes. And I suspect that it's possible that the events of the past several months with, I guess, Elizabeth Smart out in Utah, might have stimulated this gal to say, you know, I'm so empty and I feel so awful about myself and disconnected from people, look how wonderful it is when you emerge safe and sound, unscathed, the nation celebrates.

So I think that might have been a powerful stimulus for her to come forward and try to fill, if you will, a psychic wound by being the long lost daughter.

O'BRIEN: There are some indications from some reports that she may have pulled a stunt like this possibly six times in the past. Do you think that that information would be consistent with a psychiatric disorder? And, if so, what kind are we talking about? BERRILL: Yes, I think it would be consistent. I think this is a tremendous rush for her. As I said, if there's this gaping hole in your psyche where you feel empty, disconnected and you know these people are out there just wanting to be reunited with a lost kid, a loved one, she steps forward and for, even if it's just for a minute, is just basking in the joy and the love and the accolades and the hoopla.

O'BRIEN: It sounds so positive when you spin it that way. Are you saying she's not a malicious person? Because the family, as you well know, is so devastated...

BERRILL: Sure.

O'BRIEN: ... and so hurt all over again. Are you saying that she came to it with only sort of positive and good will feelings potentially?

BERRILL: No good will feelings. This is for her. I mean I don't think she even cares about what damage is caused to the people who she dupes. I think this is all about meeting her own needs and not even thinking for a minute how destructive and awful this is when the people find out that, you know, it just ain't so.

O'BRIEN: Have you had cases like this before, cases that you've been personally involved in?

BERRILL: Not quite like this. This is a kind of a weird one and a bit unique. But, you know, I've seen patients like this and have forensic matters where people pretend to be who they're not or people look to get needs met in very peculiar and bizarre ways. So I think it's consistent with a psychiatric disturbance.

O'BRIEN: Family members who talked to her on the phone when she said, you know, I am your long lost stepsister, said that she would cry, that she was utterly convincing, that when they would throw questions at her she didn't hesitate for a moment, she would rapid fire answer them right back.

Do you think that this woman potentially either really truly believed in her heart that she was this person, even in a sort of a psychopathic way? Or do you think that she was just cruel and knew all along that this was acting?

BERRILL: Well, it's both. I think she always knew and knows that she wasn't, you know, this kid, this long lost kid. But I think people with this kind of personality disturbance -- and what we're kind of talking about is a borderline personality disorder -- slip into roles very easily. They have as if personalities. So there's nothing real about them. So this was kind of who she was for the moment and it was just great for her. You know, this was just exciting and wonderful. And now that the balloon has popped, you'll see the tears and you'll, you know, you'll hear contrition and you'll hear all kinds of other things.

But I don't think she was ever so confused, for example, that she didn't know she wasn't this person.

O'BRIEN: Prosecutors have said they want to see her in prison. They hope she gets the maximum, which would be four years. In fact, they're disappointed it can't be more than that.

If she is, as you say, potentially a person with a severe psychiatric disorder, does she deserve mental treatment as opposed to prison time, do you think?

BERRILL: Well, structured mental health treatment. I don't know what the laws are out in her state, but you know...

O'BRIEN: Structured meaning behind bars?

BERRILL: Well, maybe not even. Maybe not. It depends on a closer examination of who she actually is. It might have sort of an imposed outpatient treatment. If she violates that she goes to jail. I mean I think there is really a significant disturbance here because there really isn't financial gain or anything else. She's just a deeply disturbed woman.

O'BRIEN: Well, but to what damage to that family.

BERRILL: Of course.

O'BRIEN: How horrible, huh?

BERRILL: Yes. No, I know.

O'BRIEN: What a terrible story.

N.G., nice to see you.

BERRILL: Sure.

O'BRIEN: Thanks for joining us this morning.

BERRILL: Sure.

O'BRIEN: We really should re-emphasize this woman has not yet been convicted of any crime, but it's interesting to get some insight on it.

Thanks.

And, also, coming up in just a few minutes, we're going to speak to the attorney for Donna Walker, as well.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com