Opinion ID: 4530962
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Motion to Exclude Dr. Gordon’s Testimony

Text: When Dr. Gordon was called as a witness, Benson’s counsel moved to exclude Benson’s statements to Dr. Gordon as involuntary. The district court described counsel’s argument as follows: the reason that Mr. Benson was so willing to speak to Dr. Gordon was his desire to vacate the - - what we have referred to as the rubber room. And in an effort to get out of that confinement, he was willing to open up and speak to Dr. Gordon. That that was, in effect, a ruse or a scam on behalf of the police in that there was a suggestion that he would be speaking to someone from Mental Health, and that they substituted in that person’s stead Dr. Gordon who came in and then proceeded to ask and obtain - - ask questions and obtain incriminating statements. The trial court denied the motion to exclude and noted that it seemed clear “that Mr. Benson was going through some terribly draining emotional feelings,” and “that in his own heart and mind he felt it was necessary to get this off of his chest and to speak to somebody about it.”