jg.atimetokill-第106部分

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argain。〃
　〃No！〃
　〃Listen；　Jake。　What　harm　will　it　do？　None！　If　you　can　plead　him　guilty　to　murder　with　no　gas　chamber；　then　you　know　you　have　saved　his　life。〃
　〃No！〃
　〃Look；　Jake。　Your　man　is　about　forty…eight　hours　away　from　a　death　penalty　conviction。　If　you　don't　believe　that；　then　you're　blind；　Jake。　My　blind　friend。〃
　〃Why　should　Buckley　cut　a　deal？　He's　got　us　on　the　ropes。〃
　〃Maybe　he　won't。　But　let　me　at　least　find　out。〃
　〃No；　Harry　Rex。　Forget　it。〃
　Rodeheaver　returned　to　his　seat　after　the　recess；　and　Jake　looked　at　him　from　behind　the　podium。　In　his　brief　legal　career；　he　had　never　won　an　argument；　in　court　or　out；　with　an　expert　witness。　And　the　way　his　luck　was　running；　he　decided　not　to　argue　with　this　one。
　〃Dr。　Rodeheaver；　psychiatry　is　the　study　of　the　human　mind；　is　it　not？〃
　〃It　is。〃
　〃And　it　is　an　inexact　science　at　best；　is　it　not？〃
　〃That　is　correct。〃
　〃You　might　examine　a　person　and　reach　a　diagnosis；　and　the　next　psychiatrist　might　reach　a　pletely　different　diagnosis？〃
　〃That's　possible；　yes。〃
　〃In　fact；　you　could　have　ten　psychiatrists　examine　a　mental　patient；　and　arrive　at　ten　different　opinions　about　what's　wrong　with　the　patient。〃
　〃That's　unlikely。〃
　〃But　it　could　happen；　couldn't　it；　Doctor？〃
　〃Yes；　it　could。　Just　like　legal　opinions；　I　guess。〃
　〃But　we're　not　dealing　with　legal　opinions　in　this　case；　are　we；　Doctor？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃The　truth　is；　Doctor；　in　many　cases　psychiatry　cannot　tell　us　what　is　wrong　with　a　person's　mind？〃
　〃That　is　true。〃
　〃And　psychiatrists　disagree　all　the　time；　don't　they；　Doctor？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃Now；　who　do　you　work　for；　Doctor？〃
　〃The　State　of　Mississippi。〃
　〃And　for　how　long？〃
　〃Eleven　years。〃
　〃And　who　is　prosecuting　Mr。　HaDey？〃
　〃The　State　of　Mississippi。〃
　〃During　your　eleven…year　career　with　the　State；　how　many　times　have　you　testified　in　trials　where　the　insanity　defense　was　used？〃
　Rodeheaver　thought　for　a　moment。　〃I　think　this　is　my　forty…third　trial。〃
　Jake　checked　something　in　a　file　and　eyed　the　doctor
　with　a　nasty　little　smile。　〃Are　you　sure　it's　not　your　forty…sixth？〃
　〃It　could　be；　yes。　I'm　not　certain。〃
　The　courtroom　became　still。　Buckley　and　Musgrove　hovered　over　their　legal　pads；　but　watched　their　witness　carefully。
　〃Forty…six　times　you've　testified　for　the　State　in　insanity　trials？〃
　〃If　you　say　so。〃
　〃And　forty…six　times　you've　testified　that　the　defendant　was　not　legally　insane。　Correct；　Doctor？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure。〃
　〃Well；　let　me　make　it　simple。　You've　testified　forty…six　times；　and　forty…six　times　it　has　been　your　opinion　the　defendant　was　not　legally　insane。　Correct？〃
　Rodeheaver　squirmed　just　a　little；　and　a　hint　of　disfort　broke　around　his　eyes。　〃I'm　not　sure。〃
　〃You've　never　seen　a　legally　insane　criminal　defendant；　have　you；　Doctor？〃
　〃Of　course　I　have。〃
　〃Good。　Would　you　then；　please；　sir；　tell　us　the　name　of　the　defendant　and　where　he　was　tried？〃
　Buckley　rose　and　buttoned　his　coat。　〃Your　Honor；　the　State　objects　to　these　questions。　Dr。　Rodeheaver　cannot　be　required　to　remember　the　names　and　places　of　the　trials　he　has　testified　in。〃
　〃Overruled；　Sit　down。　Answer　the　question；　Doctor。〃
　Rodeheaver　breathed　deeply　and　studied　the　ceiling。　Jake　glanced　at　the　jurors。　They　were　awake　and　waiting　on　an　answer。
　〃I　can't　remember；〃　he　finally　said。
　Jake　lifted　a　thick　stack　of　papers　and　waved　it　at　the　witness。　〃Could　it　be；　Doctor；　that　the　reason　you　can't　remember　is　that　in　eleven　years；　forty…six　trials；　you　have　never　testified　in　favor　of　the　defendant？〃
　〃I　honestly　can't　remember。〃
　〃Can　you　honestly　name　us　one　trial　in　which　you　found　the　defendant　to　be　legally　insane？〃
　〃I'm　sure　there　are　some。〃
　〃Yes　or　no；　Doctor。　One　trial？〃
　The　expert　looked　briefly　at　the　D。A。　〃No。　My　memory　fails　me。　I　cannot　at　this　time。〃
　Jake　walked　slowly　to　the　defense　table　and　picked　up　a　thick　file。
　〃Dr。　Rodeheaver；　do　you　recall　testifying　in　the　trial　of　a　man　by　the　name　of　Danny　Booker　in　McMurphy　County　in　December　of　1975？　A　rather　gruesome　double　homicide？〃
　〃Yes；　I　recall　that　trial。〃
　〃And　you　testified　to　the　effect　that　he　was　not　legally　insane；　did　you　not？〃
　〃That　is　correct。〃
　〃Do　you　recall　how　many　psychiatrists　testified　in　his　behalf？〃
　〃Not　exactly。　There　were　several。〃
　〃Do　the　names　Noel　McClacky；　M。D。；　O。G。　McGuire；　M。D。；　and　Lou　Watson；　M。D。；　ring　a　bell？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃They're　all　psychiatrists；　aren't　they？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃They're　all　qualified；　aren't　they？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　they　all　examined　Mr。　Booker　and　testified　at　trial　that　in　their　opinions　the　poor　man　was　legally　insane？〃
　〃That's　correct。〃
　〃And　you　testified　he　was　not　legally　insane？〃
　〃That's　correct。〃
　〃How　many　other　doctors　supported　your　position？〃
　〃None；　that　I　recall。〃
　〃So　it　was　three　against　one？〃
　〃Yes；　but　I'm　still　convinced　I　was　right。〃
　〃I　see。　What　did　the　jury　do；　Doctor？〃
　〃He；　uh；　was　found　not　guilty　by　reason　of　insanity。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Now；　Dr。　Rodeheaver；　you're　the　head　doctor　at　Whitfield；　aren't　you？〃
　〃Yes；　so　to　speak。〃
　〃Are　you　directly　or　indirectly　responsible　for　the　treatment　of　every　patient　at　Whitfield？〃
　〃I'm　directly　responsible；　Mr。　Brigance。　I　may　not　personally　see　every　patient；　but　their　doctors　are　under　my　supervision。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Doctor；　where　is　Danny　Booker　today？〃
　Rodeheaver　shot　a　desperate　look　at　Buckley；　and　immediately　covered　it　with　a　warm；　relaxed　grin　for　the　jury。　He　hesitated　for　a　few　seconds；　then　hesitated　one　second　too　long。
　〃He's　at　Whitfield；　isn't　he？〃　Jake　asked　in　a　tone　of　voice　that　informed　everyone　that　the　answer　was　yes。
　〃I　believe　so；〃　Rodeheaver　said。
　〃So；　he's　directly　under　your　care；　then；　Doctor？〃
　〃I　suppose。〃
　〃And　what　is　his　diagnosis；　Doctor？〃
　〃I　really　don't　know。　I　have　a　lot　of　patients　and…〃
　〃Paranoid　schizophrenic？〃
　〃It's　possible；　yes。〃
　Jake　walked　backward　and　sat　on　the　railing。　He　turned　up　the　volume。　〃Now；　Doctor；　I　want　to　make　this　clear　for　the　jury。　In　1975　you　testified　that　Danny　Booker　was　legally　sane　and　understood　exactly　what　he　was　doing　when　he　mitted　his　crime；　and　the　jury　disagreed　with　you　and　found　him　not　guilty；　and　since　that　time　he　has　been　a　patient　in　your　hospital；　under　your　supervision；　and　treated　by　you　as　a　paranoid　schizophrenic。　Is　that　correct？〃
　The　smirk　on　Rodeheaver's　face　informed　the　jury　that　it　was　indeed　correct。
　Jake　picked　up　another　piece　of　paper　and　seemed　to　review　it。　〃Do　you　recall　testifying　in　the　trial　of　a　man　by　the　name　of　Adam　Couch　in　Dupree　County　in　May　of　1977？〃
　〃I　remember　that　case。〃
　〃It　was　a　rape　case；　wasn't　it？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　you　testified　on　behalf　of　the　State　against　Mr。　Couch？〃
　〃That's　correct。〃
　〃And　you　told　the　jury　that　he　was　not　legally　insane？〃
　〃That　was　my　testimony。〃
　〃Do　you　recall　how　many　doctors　testified　on　his　behalf　and　told　the　jury　he　was　a　very　sick　man；　that　he　was　legally　insane？〃
　〃There　were　several。〃
　〃Have　you　ever　heard　of　the　following　doctors：　Felix　Perry；　Gene　Shumate；　and　Hobny　Wicker？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Are　they　all　qualified　psychiatrists？〃
　〃They　are。〃
　〃And　they　all　testified　on　behalf　of　Mr。　Couch；　didn't　they？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　they　all　said　he　was　legally　insane；　didn't　they？〃
　〃They　did。〃
　〃And　you　were　the　only　doctor　in　the　trial　who　said　he　was　not　legally　insane？〃
　〃As　I　recall；　yes。〃
　〃And　what　did　the　jury　do；　Doctor？〃
　〃He　was　found　not　guilty。〃
　〃By　reason　of　insanity？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　where　is　Mr。　Couch　today；　Doctor？〃
　〃I　think　he's　at　Whitfield。〃
　〃And　how　long　has　he　been　there？〃
　〃Since　the　trial；　I　believe。〃
　〃I　see。　Do　you　normally　admit　patients　and　keep　them　for　several　years　if　they　are　of　perfectly　sound　mind？〃
　Rodeheaver　shifted　his　weight　and　began　a　slow　burn。　He　looked　at　his　lawyer；　the　people's　lawyer；　as　if　to　say　he　was　tired　of　this；　do　something　to　stop　it。
　Jake　picked　up　more　papers。　〃Doctor；　do　you　recall　the　trial　of　a　man　by　the　name　of　Buddy　Wooddall　in　Cleburne　County；　May　of　1979？〃
　〃Yes；　I　certainly　do。〃
　〃Murder；　wasn't　it？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　you　testified　as　an　expert　in　the　field　o