Evening star., 1949-06-30
Doctor Doubts
Amnesia Theory
In Scott Defense
Coroner Challenges
Partial Recollection
Of Events in Killing
BY Robert e. RoIIines
Ssor SsoH Cevssspondsot

sssr s,aH Correspondent
ROANOKE. Va. June 30.-A
defense contention that Lee
Buddy Scott suffered temporary
amnesia as the result of his act
OF killing Dana Marie Weaver was
challenged in court today in expert
medical testimony.
DR.. Charles M. Irwin. city coro-
ner. declared he does not believe
in partial amnesia.
1T is my opinion that q person
who remembers part Of q sequence
of an event could also remember
all of It," the physician testified.
The defense admits that the
choir singing Eagle Scout killed
his 16-year-old classmate. but says
he is guilty Of no greater crime
than manslaughter in the Staying
in the Christ Episcopal Church
parish house May 8.
DR.. Irwin was called to the stand
as a defense witness as the fourth
day of the murder trial resumed
in Hastings Court here. Under
direct examination by Defense
Counsel T. Warren MeSsick, DR..
Irwin said he believed that Lee
Scott could have suffered loss of
memory after the commission Of
the crime on May 8. On cross
examination by Commonwealth
Attorney c. E. Cuddy the ply
sician conceded that 1t also is pos
sible that Lees act would not
have produced amnesia.
Testifies on Truth Serum.
DR.. Irwin also testified that
sodiam pentothal. so-called truth
serum" was administered to the
16-year- old defendant. but he did
not say what Scott related while
under the drug.
The prosecution did not return
Immediately to its line of ques-
tioning yesterday by which 1t
seeks to convince the 12-man jury
that the husky high school youth
attempted to rape Dana Marie.
Yesterday. the State offered a
photograph of the slain girl as
she lay on the floor Of the
kitchen in the Christ Episcopal
Church parish hall. her skirt and
slip above her waist, bruises on
her face and neck plainly visible.
Although DR.. Irwin yesterday
declared there was no evidence OF
criminal assault or attempted as
sault, and Sidney Kaye. State
toxicologist, asserted that neither
Dana Marie's nor Scott's clothing
gave any such evidence. the State
continued its implications began
in an opening statement which
detailed the position In which the
girls body was found the morn
ing Of May y -s@ssT ~
Mr.. Messiek fought bitterly yes
terday to prevent ifitroduction III
evidence of the police photographs
of Dana Marie's body. But Judge
Dirk A. Kuyk ruled them ad-
missible after arguments In his
chambers away from the jury.
After DR.. Irwin answered mo-
to Mr.. Messick's final question on
cross-examination: Did you see
any evidence Of an abnormal sex
act in your examination Of him
(Scott) - or the girl Dana
Marie)." Commemorative Attor-
ney- C. E. Cuddy pesum d
questioning.
Was Just q Fight, Defense Says.
IAN attempt to have ravished
her would not necessarily have
left signs?" Mr.. Cuddy asked the
coroner.
mo. replied DR.. Irwin.
In q second unsuccessful fight
yesterday. Mr.. Messick sought to
have q report Mr.. Kaye intro
duced in evidence. The report on
the laboratory analysis was made
to the commonwealth and was
used by. Mr.. Kaye and DR.. Robert
Waller, q consultant to the State
Medical Examiner, as their notes
in testifying. 1t contained. among
other statements, the information
that no evidence of sex activity
was found by the State chemists.
Two Virginia Tech students
from nearby Blacksburg were the
first witnesses TO take the stand
for the prosecution yesterday.
Both William johnson and Ben
Richardson testified that they had
been with Dana Marie the after
noon of May 8. and that they
had left her at the side door Of
the church prior to the Staying.
Alexander Roland. SO, colored
janitor of the church. told Of
finding the girls body in the par
ish house kitchen Monday morn
ing