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0-19 (Rev, 10-20-57) . sheik " Beverai-y ‘years. ago “the ‘Court of Ap. pe als : Belmont 4. lohr , in the Durham tase, broadened fe Ne LATA ® the definition of insanity as a defense j *"tm criminal cases, The court said that » i pars 5 "- person could not be held guilty of a crime Ton - ff, at the time of the offense, he waa’ Trotter suffering from a mental disease or defect, Clayton ‘and if this caused him te commit the) v Tele Room _ ‘crime, One result was some confusion as .~ Holloman __ ’ to the circumstances under which a perm Gandy son found not. guilty by reason of in-""' ‘sanity. should be turned loose or coni- vs Wt & mitted to St. Elizabeths Hospitdl. . rs ! { This was settled when Congress r stepped into the picture and provided by statute that such a person must be committed to St. Elizabeths: and held there until such time as he has regainéd _ : . his sanity and the doctors are prepared. rf b a to certify that*he will not be dangerous 2 : to himself or others in the foreseeable ‘future. In other words, Congress acted to prevent the premature release of defendants who had heen arouittad on Mere eens er Saw sate Ree chee, Siahatediched wes insanity grounds. ©. ' : > ‘Yn its recent decisfon in the case of Paul D. Leach, the Court ‘of Appeals, merely applied the plain intent and purpose of the statute. Leach had been’ ~ diagnosed as suffering from a sociopathic, ; Personality, and this ts a fuzzy area. The gist of the medical testimony in his case was that a sociopath suffers from ¢ menial disorder but is not necessarily — insane. The doctors agreed, however, - that Leach was dangerous, and on this . basis the appellate court, overruling the'* lower court, sald that he must be sent to- the hospital and held there until the doctors make the certification Teqitired : Wash, Post and 4 52 SA Rg Ce oe by the law. ~ Times Herald One salutary effect of this ruling ~ Wash. News _ should be to discourage the use of in- - ° fez _, Sanity pleas in the hope of “beating the - Wash. Star “rap.” We hope this will prove to be the . N. Y. Herald ' a Votes ia a a ee Tribune N. Y. Journal- American N. Y. Mirror . N. Y, Daily News . ; N. Y. Times roi Se A Daily Worker \ 4 a- o 190 wor The Worker . 7 = <SORDED. ; ' New Leader 46 yu 30 1958 y+ 64 Date __JUL* ~ * 6% ih 311958