MIDTOWN — The schizophrenic home health care aide accused of fatally pushing an Astoria woman in front of a train in Times Square Monday should be sane enough to stand trial, her lawyer said.
Melanie Liverpool-Turner, 30, was charged with second degree murder for shoving Connie Watton, 49, onto the tracks as a southbound 1 train pulled into the station at 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue about 1:20 p.m.
She pleaded not guilty at her arraignment on Tuesday but said little more, according to her lawyer Mathew Mari.
Sources said that she had a history of mental health problems, but her lawyer said Wednesday she appeared lucid at the court hearing.
"She did seem to understand where she was," he said.
"She did seem to understand what a judge does and what a prosecutor does."
The ability of a defendant to understand the charges against her and to assist in her own defense are the two requirements for a person to be deemed mentally fit to stand trial.
But Mari did not rule out a psychiatric defense.
"In the future, we may order a psychiatric exam," he said.
Liverpool-Turner apparently had "confessed" to pushing a German tourist in front of a train on Oct. 19. Police did not arrest her after the victim's mother told them that she was struggling over a personal issue, sources said.
The health aide was taken to Bellevue Hosptial for a mental health evaluation, but later released, according to a source.
Detectives are now reevaluating her role in that death.
Liverpool-Turner is due back in court on Thursday when the Manhattan District Attorney is likely to announce whether or not she has been indicted for Watton's murder.
