ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 1, 1996 TAG: 9608010050
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: STAUNTON
SOURCE: Associated Press
Former soap opera actress Catherine Anne Christianson, charged with plotting to have her husband killed, had battled depression and talked about suicide, court records show.
Christianson, who played a recurring role in the ABC daytime drama ``One Life to Live'' in 1991, was arrested July 24 on a charge of soliciting another person to commit murder. Prosecutors said she was videotaped trying to hire a hit man to kill her husband.
She remained in the Augusta County Jail on Wednesday. Two bond hearing dates have already been postponed, and no new date was scheduled.
A report prepared by Blue Ridge Court Services and contained in the case file quoted housekeeper Linda Wheeler as saying the 39-year-old actress was ``fragile,'' depressed and suicidal, the News-Virginian of Waynesboro reported Wednesday. The company prepares reports for judges to consider in handling defendants.
Christianson had been seeing a psychologist before her arrest, other court records showed.
Dawn Woodrum, a pretrial investigator for the court services firm, wrote in the report that Christianson was ``low risk for flight.''
Police said Christianson tried to pay an informant $20,000 to kill her husband, Rick Chittum of Churchville. Chittum filed for divorce the day after her arrest and obtained sole custody of their 2-year-old son, William.
Christianson could receive a sentence of 20 years to life in prison if convicted.
LENGTH: Short : 39 linesby CNB