The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-03-26
CRAY AND west |
DECLARE COUCH !
IS Sane PERSON
Case Of Uncontrolled Impulse,
One Says,
PREGNANT WITH REVENGE
Expert Sums Up Couch'S Ac-
ton, To Testify,

\ simple case Of uncontrolled i'm.
pulse. pregnant with revenge.
This Is the summing up OF DR.. J. 7.
GRAY. alicnlSt. III an opinion rendered
this morning TO County Attorney Sell
by on the question OF John M COUGHS
,anitay or insanity at the time he IS
alleged to have killed Miss Nellie NJ.
Dunn.
To Testify.
DR.. Gray will go on the witness stand
this afternoon. His theory OF the Couch
case from the standpoint Of the defend
ants state OF mind after reading z
transcript OF CoucFs testimony. tho let.
tcrS introduced in the case and the hy.
pothe,ical question, is as follows
These are tho only possible in
sane hypotheSeS in the case OF the
state vs. John NJ. Couch
The testimony shows that when
Mr. Couch put down the telephone al
ter calling up Mr. Williams that he
had no knowledge of any event oc-
curing subsequent to and imme-
dlately following the tragedy and
he could only plead amnesia.
Amnesia Theory. !
"lmncSia is invariably caused Nv
an injured epndi,on OF the brain.
he symptoms arc total loss al
memory OF all events prior to its
occurrence There is an hiatus III
the personality. II his statement Is
true. he would not have known his
own name, he would not have
known the town that he was in he
would not have known Mr.. vii.
hams or Nellie Dunn bad he met
them face to face and the tragedy
could not have occurred.
Second hypotheses Emotional
insanity Emotional insanity can !
no, he pleaded as an excuse for an
act IN which no rights OF the ac-
cuscd have been involved In emo-
tloual insanity somethi must he de-
stroycd That something is tho
character or tho will
Character is the product of oivi-
lIatlon and only when i, has been
DESTROYED through the feelings or
emotions, can It he maintained:
otherwise, burglar could plead
emotional insanity as an excuse for
his crime Mrs Couch, the
wrongcd vic and mother. could
plead this type Of insanity had she
shot Mr Couch
Delusionsl Insanity,
Third hypothesc, Delusion Il
j, invariably caused hv a poison-
Gus condition OF the blood, or an
organic disease OF the brain proper.
II would he IN his case mono-
namla or paranoia This is an in
durable disease IN which there is no
lapse oi memory and all the func-
ton, ol the mind are perfect save
IN the ono region oi the delusion.
In these cases there would not oc-
cur to the patanoiar any need for
defense. because to him the act
would he right, aud II would he a
case m which virtue is its own re-
ward There is, in my opinion. no |
other ,cnahle hypothesis in this
case. and It resolves itself into a
SIMPLE case oi uncontrolled i'm
pulse, pregnant with revenge.
Dr. 4 X. West testified that IN his
opinion Couch was not insane Al the
time NE IS alleged to have killed Miss
Dunn
\ hypothetical question containing
ah2u' lOD1 words, covering every sngle
Vt 'hc case. was submitted 10 DR. West
b, Mt Nclhv
Objection ovsrruled.
When the question had been read ,he
defense attorneys objected 10 the VIII
ness ON the ground ,ha, material iseta
had been lei, ou, Judge Clark overs
ruled the objection
Taking into consideration all the
matter, contained in the hypothetical
question and ~ addition the matters In
the letters and hasine YOUR opinion On
all hay, YOU any Judgment as ~ the
sanity ~ insanity ol the deiepdan, q
tr..,lsssd on psss rvsD