Evening star., 1950-03-22
Dodson Sane,
|nf|uencedby
Drink, Trial Told
Case Nay Go to Jury
Today; Psychiotrists'
Testimony Clashes


A psychiatrist testified today
that Francis E. Dodson was sane
and probably Influenced by alco-
hol when he invaded the home of
a young Arlington couple last
September.
Dodson, 81, is on trial in Arling-
ton County Circuit Court on
charges of housebreaking with in
tent to rob and rape. His defense
is temporary insanity.
The testimony of DR.. Joseph r.
Blalock, superintendent of the
Southwestern State Hospital,
Marion, Va, was in direct con-
trast to that of two other psy-
chiatristS called by Dodson's at
torneys. The defense psychi-
artists branded the suspended Ar
lington policeman a mental case
similar to an "unexploded bomb"
Says He Remembers Nothing.
Dodson testified he remembered
absolutely nothing about the
events early in the morning Of
last September 20 at the home
of Mr.. and Mrs. H. Jack Bartels,
2810-B South Sixteenth road, Ar
lington. He is accused of forcing
his way into the Bartels' home,
and making indecent advances on
Mrs, BartelS.
His right leg still is in cast.
1t was shattered by a shot fired
by a neighbor when Dodson tried
to escape after a struggle with
Mr.. BartelS. II
DR.. Blalock stated:
Based on the evidence I have
heard and the results of my ex-
animation of Dodson, I feel 1T
highly unlikely he was insane at
the time. My own opinion is he
was sane"
May Go to Jury Today.
Dr.. Blalock told the jury that
the shock from the bullet could
have produced amnesia which pre-
vented him from remembering
events of that night. However, he
added, he considered that not too
possible and said it apparently
caused lapse of memory only for
the short period after the injury
The case was expected to go to
the jury sometime later today.
Commonwealths Attorney Denman
T. Rucker was presenting rebuttal
witnesses in the morning and
summations from both sides were
expected by this afternoon.
Mr.. Rucker is seeking the death
penalty for Dodson.
1t was DR.. Frank Caprio, a
psychiatrist with a private prac-
tice in Washington, who termed
Dodson an "unexploded bomb"
that went off the night of the
Bartels affair. The same bomb
doesn't explode" twice. DR.. Caprio
said.
"He is of sound mind now, but
he is emotionally i'll and has a
sexual problem" the doctor con-
tinued. 81 believe he was of un-
sound mind the night of the crime.
He could be helped now by psychi-
atric treatment.
Called Psyche Neurotic.
DR.. Caprio said Dodson suffers
from a type of psychoneurosis
precipitated by a head injury he
received during World War II. In
addition, he suffers from "patho-
logical intoxication" and can be
set off into periods when he is not
responsible by the stimulus of a
few drinks, he added.
The second psychiatrist, DR..
Francis R. Riesenman of the st.
Elizabeths staff, agreed in general
with DR.. Caprio's comments.
Before the psychiatrists took
the stand, Dodson testified in his
own defense.
He said he had suffered from
severe headaches and lapses of
memory since he was blown out
of his shoes" by an exploding
bomber when he was serving with
the Air Force in England. He
cited two other instances. besides
the Bartels affair, when he
blacked out.
Tells of Drinking.
The afternoon before the crime,
he indulged a car-drinking party
in Arlington Cemetery with
number of other Arlington police
men, Dodson testified. He went
home for supper but went out
again to get his gun-belt and
holster, which he had left in an
other policeman's car, he stated.
He finally arrived at the home
of another policeman about 8
pm, where he had a few drinks,
Dodson continued. At II pm,
when he tried to go home, he
found he had left his car engine
running and was out of gas, he
said.
A friend pushed his car to a
filling station, he related and he
finally started home. At the inter-
section of Lee boulevard and Fort
Meyer drive, he testified, his car
stalled and he got out to look
under the hood.
Came to in Hospital.
From there on, I don't know
where I went," he said.
II came to in the hospital" he
continued. Officer Jim Mullins
was there. and I asked him what
I was doing there. He told me
was in a mess, that I broke in a
house, tried to rob and rape some
people and was shot. That sur