“And did you treat those patients?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Why not?”
“I can’t treat conditions that don’t exist. One of the patients was an embezzler who wanted me to testify that he wasn’t responsible because he had an alter who did it. Another patient was a housewife who was arrested for beating her children. She says that someone inside her made her do it. There were a few more like that with different excuses, but they were all trying to hide from something. In other words, they were faking.”
“You seem to have a very definite opinion about this, Doctor.”
“I do. I know I’m right.”
David said, “You know you’re right?”
“Well, I mean—”
“—that everyone else must be wrong? All the doctors who believe in MPD are all wrong?”
“I didn’t mean that—”
“And you’re the only one who’s right. Thank you, Doctor. That’s all.”
Dr. Simon Raleigh was on the stand. He was a short, bald man in his sixties.
Brennan said, “Thank you for coming here, Doctor. You’ve had a long and illustrious career. You’re a doctor, you’re a professor, you went to school at—”
David stood up. “The defense will stipulate to the witness’s distinguished background.”
“Thank you.” Brennan turned back to the witness. “Dr. Raleigh, what does iatrogenicity mean?”
“That’s when there’s an existing illness, and medical treatment of psychotherapy aggravates it.”
“Would you be more specific, Doctor?”
“Well, in psychotherapy, very often the therapist influences the patient with his questions or attitude. He might make the patient feel that he has to meet the expectations of the therapist.”
“How would that apply to MPD?”
“If the psychiatrist is questioning the patient about different personalities within him, the patient might make up some in order to please the therapist. It’s a very tricky area. Amytal and hypnosis can mimic MPD in patients who are otherwise normal.”
“So what you’re saying is that under hypnosis the psychiatrist himself can alter the condition of the patient so that the patient believes something that is not true?”
“That has happened, yes.”
“Thank you, Doctor.” He looked at David. “Your witness.”
David said, “Thank you.” He rose and walked over to the witness box. David said disarmingly, “Your credentials are very impressive. You’re not only a psychiatrist, but you teach at a university.”
“Yes.”
“How long have you been teaching, Doctor?”
“More than fifteen years.”
“That’s wonderful. How do you divide your time? By that I mean, do you spend half of your time teaching and the other half working as a doctor?”
“Now, I teach full-time.”
“Oh? How long has it been since you actually practiced medicine?”
“About eight years. But I keep up on all the current medical literature.”
“I have to tell you, I find that admirable. So you read up on everything. That’s how you’re so familiar with iatrogenicity?”
“Yes.”
“And in the past, a lot of patients came to you claiming they had MPD?”
“Well, no…”
“Not a lot? In the years you were practicing as a doctor, would you say you had a dozen cases who claimed they had MPD?”
“No.”
“Six?”
Dr. Raleigh shook his head.
“Four?”
There was no answer.
“Doctor, have you ever had a patient who came to you with MPD?”
“Well, it’s hard to—”
“Yes or no, Doctor?”
“No.”
“So all you really know about MPD is what you’ve read? No further questions.”
The prosecution called six more witnesses, and the pattern was the same with each. Mickey Brennan had assembled nine top psychiatrists from around the country, all united in their belief that MPD did not exist.
The prosecution’s case was winding to a close.
When the last witness on the prosecution’s list had been excused, Judge Williams turned to Brennan. “Do you have any more witnesses to call, Mr. Brennan?”
“No, Your Honor. But I would like to show the jury police photographs of the death scenes from the murders of—”
David said furiously, “Absolutely not.”
Judge Williams turned to David. “What did you say, Mr. Singer?”
“I said”—David caught himself—”objection. The prosecution is trying to inflame the jury by—”
“Objection overruled. The foundation was laid in a pretrial motion.” Judge Williams turned to Brennan. “You may show the photographs.”