A determined district attorney’s office presented a multitude of witnesses at the pretrial decertification hearing for Jamie Silvonek, age 14 at the time of her mother’s death.

In direct opposition to the expert witness presented by the defense, the prosecution offered the testimony of forensic psychiatrist Dr. John Sebastian O’Brien.

O’Brien stated 60 percent to 70 percent of the decertification cases he is involved in are requested by the prosecution.

The psychiatrist testified he performed a review of investigative materials in making his determination Silvonek was not amenable for decertification to juvenile court.

Materials included witness statements, meeting with Silvonek, examination of her social media outlets, videotapes, text messages and letters from teachers, peers and parents.

“She is very good at switching roles, so she becomes not the manipulator, but the manipulated,” O’Brien testified. “She has the ability to cry when she thinks it will benefit her.”

Reading directly from his report, O’Brien cited excerpts of letters reportedly written by a teacher and a mother of one of Silvonek’s friends, stating she was “seen as sociable and popular, but described as a manipulator and a psychological bully.

“She could identify or glean what others wanted of her and then become ingratiating,” he said.

On cross-examination, Silvonek’s attorney, John Waldron, said 18 of the 26 pages of O’Brien’s written report were merely a cataloguing of the investigative materials, largely testing performed and parts of letters.

“You picked only parts of reports to include,” Waldron said.

O’Brien conceded he did not speak directly to anyone.

“I looked at what was in the records,” he testified.

“You relied on the each and every test performed by Dr. Dattilio?” Waldron asked.

“Yes,” O’Brien replied. “I could have repeated the tests, but I didn’t think it was necessary.”

O’Brien also discussed assessing the results, especially Silvonek’s propensity to lie,

“I’m not as quick to cast that off,” O’Brien said. “To me, there is a far greater significance.”

While at age 14 Silvonek is too young to be tested, O’Brien said he believed she may be exhibiting signs and symptoms of a developing cluster B personality disorder, which includes narcissistic, histrionic, borderline and antisocial behaviors.

He described Silvonek as grandiose, self-dramatizing, sexually seductive or provocative, and uncomfortable when not the center of attention.

“I don’t think anyone could reasonably or accurately express an opinion within a reasonable degree of medical certainty Jamie Silvonek is amenable to treatment by the time she turns 21,” O’Brien concluded