The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1917-02-15
WOULD DISMISS
ROONEY CASE
Continued from page u

thing they would never have resorted
10 such violence or such acts as were
perpetrated In this case.
This woman being the mother of six
children living at home, and taking
care of them would also have its eff
rect upon the jury, and they would
give her the benefit of any doubt that
may be raised, and undoubtedly would
be raised, as to her mental RESPONSE
bllity when this act was committed.
have talked with local members
OF the medical profession about the
facts In this case and as to the prob
ability OF this woman being In an I'M
sound condition Of mind at the time,
and they have expressed their opinion
to the effect, and that medical author
ities show such a thing to be common
at a time following soon after child
birth. In this connection work on
medical Jurisprudence by Whitthouse
and Becker, recognized as the best
medical authority, commenting on this
subject under the head of Puerperal
insanity, among other things says:
That there is no special form of In
sanity peculiar to the puerperal state,
but is usually of a maniacal type, and
that 1t occurs during the first few
days after birth and before or during
the establishment of flow of milk,
majority are maniacal conditions,
during which infanticide may occur"
Savage, another authority on this
question and cited I'm this authority,
refers to condition of temporary
mania appearing during the first few
days after delivery, in which the wom-
an Is liable to injure herself or her
child, being perfectly unconscious of
the act; this may appear where there
mas been much exhaustion, etc, and In
this case being largely due to the rap
Id bearing of children: and further
he says, Il find that in puerperal in.
sanity OF the ordinary type homicide
and infanticide is the most usual
crime"
In view Of the foregoing conditions
and facts, and that the defendant will
undoubtedly be able to produce unlim-
tied medical authorities to substanti-
ate the defense of insanity at the
time this act was committed: and
there would be no possibility of secur-
ing conviction, is the principal rea-
son for my making this statement
and again In view of the great num-
W. VI WALHccScS LUHL were called at
the preliminary hearing on the part of
the prosecution and would have to be
called in the trial of this case, as well
as number of witnesses for the de-
tense including possible outside expert
testimony at an expense probably ag-
gregating $500 to $500 in the trial
or the cause, when to my mind there
Is no possibility of securing a convic-
ton; and that jury would not take
her from her present family of six
little children and send her to the pen
itentiary for a term of years. and
would give her the benefit of the doubt
and acquit her, causes me to make
this statement, and suggest to the
court that it would be a useless ex-
penditure of time and money, and that
said cause should be dismissed.
l fully realize that from the nature
of this case, being a charge of murder
In the first degree, that there will be
those who will differ from the posi-
ton / am taking and will cause more
or less criticism, but l deem 1t proper
from my view point as well as my duty
under the law, to submit this state
ment to the court for further consider
alton.
Respectfully,
EDWARD M. GRIFFITH,
Prosecuting ATTORNEY.