Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-06-14
HOME FOR RETIRED PER DUCKLLNGs M NEARBY MARYLAND
Funds Sought to Confine
Criminal Insane Here

lnally insane persons now at
District General who are maxi
mum security cases and 10 other
criminally insane who do not
need to be so closely guarded. but
who are regarded as dangerous
nevertheless.
Under the law. District Cen
eral may only hold criminally
insane persons for examination.
Their treatment and conf1ne-
ment is in the province of st.
Ellzabeths which is now filled to
capacity with such cases.
Insane persons may not legally
be kept for treatment in District
Jail.
The situation has been ag-
gravated, Mr.. Gasch said, by two
recent court decisions.
The Landmark Durham de-
cision widened the avenue
through which a defendant sue
cessfully could plead not guilty
by reasons of insanity so long as
his act was the product of any
mental disease or deficiency
The other decision held that
any motion for mental examina-
Ition must be granted as long
as it is made in good faith.
Since. under the law. the
court must commit to st. Eliza
beths any defendant found not
guilty by reason of insanity
lMr. Gasch said. facilities there
have been taxed further.
The crisis was pointed UP in
recent weeks when on six &C.
casions deputy United States
marshals, charged with escorting
lcriminally insane persons to st.
Elizabeths or to District Gen.
eral Hospital, were turned away
at both institutions.
Mr.. Gasch was notified and
Immediately brought pressure on
the hospital authorities with the
result that the prisoners were
accepted on an emergency basis
Definite Steps Outlined
1 Last month Mr.. Gasch con-
lferred with District Commits
sioner David L. Karrick. hos
Ipital authorities and other Dis
ltrict government officials on the
problem. The talks were pre-
liminary and eliminated in the
meeting yesterday, at which de-
finite steps were outlined.
The Center Hall plan was the
major step. In addition, Mr.
Gasch said he would confer with
Justice Department officials to
see if criminally insane from the
District might be placed. on q
contract basis, in various State
institutions. He indicated hi
had little hope that this woulc
help much since most such in
stitutions have a problem Of
overcrowding.
The prosecutor also hopes tC
have ended the practice of out
side Federal jurisdictions send.
ing criminally insane persons tc
st. Elizabeths. He declared that
cases of such transfers are few
Assistant United States Attor-
ney John Conliff. in charge Of
the criminal division, said hi
had explored the possibilities Of
sending some of the criminallS
iinsance to Federal hospitals al
Lexington. KY. and Fort Worth
Tex. But. he said, both are over.
crowded with narcotics addicts
taking treatment and cannot &C.
cept insane patients.
Comforting with Mr.. Gasct
yesterday were DR.. Philip A. E
Stebbing, superintendent Of Dis.
trict General Hospital; Assistant
Corporation Counsel Chester
: Gray, DR.. Overholser: U. S. Mar.
shall Carleton G. Beall. first
deputy u. S. Marshal Charlie:
Ward. Donald Clemmer. head Of
the District Department Of Cor
rections; Edmund Baxter. CO.
. ordinator Of special institution,
of the Department Of Health
Education and Welfare; Robert
Becker, Office Of General Counsel
of the Department Of Health
Education and Welfare: DR.. Adj
Olson Duval. deputy superintend-
lent Of st. Elizabeths; Mr.. Con-
lift and Assistant United States
J Attorney Edward p. Troxell
principal assistant to Mr.. Gasch,