Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-31
The Insanity Plea.

Two announcements in recent news
dispatches ere calculated to deepen the
public feeling in this country that tho
insanity plea as defense against the
crime of murder should be banned by
the laws of the States. One Of these
is that the counsel for Hickman, the
kidnaper and slayer of little Marian
Parker in Los Angeles. will enter that
plea in behalf of his client. The other
is that the probate Judge in Cincinnati
before whom George Remus was
brought. following his acquittal by q
jury of murder charge on the ground
OF insanity has in the face of the re-
port of the alienists declared him to be
insane and ordered his committal to an
asylum until he shall have regained his
mental balance.
The insanity plea has been worked to
eondone many atrocious crimes. 1t has
effected the release of numerous peo-
pie. men and women. who have taken
life wantonly and who. save for the ef-
fectiveness of the claim of mental ire
sponsib,lity would have met with the
death penalty. In one comparatively
recent case that of the youths who.
with fiendish cruelty, slew child in
Chicago. il failed TO evoke a verdict of
acouittal, but il led to the imposition
of the penalty of life imprisonment b.
the court In almost every case of no.
torious CRIME. upon which general at
tention is fastened. there is a wide
spread apprehension lest this plea be
entered. to the point OF defeating jus
tice as it is understood by the people OF
the United States.
The Remus case affords striking
instance of the absurdity of the plea
of mental unbalance. The crime was
unmistakable. The man slew his wife
and was taken red-handed. There was
no possible defense in justification. in
self-defense or. in accident. Ungovern-
able temper vas manifested by the de-
PENDANT throughout the trial A jury
that was obviously sympathetic gave
him the fullest benefit of all doubts and
returned a verdict of acquittal on the
ground that he was insane when he
committed the deed. He was subjected TO
examination by ahenists. who reported
THAT he was sane, but dangerously 'psy-
chopathic" The probate Judge swept
this finding aside and declared him 10
be insane and ordered his confinement.
He may later, through appeal cause
this judgment TO be set aside and re-
gain his liberty.
In the Hickman case there is evident
" no other resort but the insanity plea
The crime Of which the young man il
charged is confessed. 1t was an aborn-
nation of a nature which forbids full
description There is but one possible
penalty which viii satisfy the public'S
sense Of justice and that is death. Yet
the spectacle win be presented Of an ei-
fort TO save his life, which he has 50
CLEARLY forfeited. on the ground OF ir-
responsibility. nauseous endeavor that
catanot fail 20 shock the community at
large, and cannot be permitted TO Sue
coed, lest repriSsls occur. more shocking
than the crime itscli.
This sequence Of proofs that the m
sanity defense is contrary 10 the spirit
Of Justice may have the good effect Of
revision Of the laws Of the States 70 less
en- the scope OF that means Of escape
from the penalties prescribed for the
taking of human life. II may be- true
as some contend, that every murderer IL
actually abnormal But it is certainly
moi true that the slayer VINO pleads IN
sanity. or IN whose behalf that plea is
entered. is, save in very exceptional
cases. not cognizant Of the nature OF
fis act. is MOI responsible for his deed.
H. saot deserving ot the utmost punish
ment which the la@ prescriDes for the
crime d murder The sooner this plea
is, by drastic revision Of the statutes
enc the practices Of court procedure
reduced 70 It's proper status the sooner
the people Of this country Will regain
ti1elf faith 10 the efficacy Of the law
end human life will be given al least
the protection Of the mandate, thou
snsit not XII" upon pain Of death.
I'm one way LlndberRh sets . dan
FerDs1s example He makes extraofdl-
nary feztk seem ~ EASY That neFsDns