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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. XIV - Page 577« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Dr. William Robert Beavers)

Mr. Tonahill.
the depression that I saw initially, which has cleared up somewhat as he has gotten more delusionary.
Mr. Tonahill.
You all felt that he should be out of jail and in a mental hospital where he could get adequate mental care and mental treatment, from psychiatric care and therapy medications?
Dr. BEAVERS. Yes; I thought this and this was the recommendation of the other doctors that saw him.
Mr. Tonahill.
That would be Dr. Stubblefield, Dr. Holbrook, Dr. West, and Dr. Tanay?
Dr. BEAVERS. I'm not sure about Dr. Tanay. I don't know that I heard him state that specific thing. I do know that the recommendation of Dr. Holbrook and Dr. Stubblefield and myself, and further that Dr. West, made the same recommendation. I do feel that we had two problems. One was security as well as medical care. I feel like maybe I was perhaps a little bit more concerned about this than maybe some of the other specialists; I don't know. This Just happened to be my own view, that I was not only concerned about this man, hopefully finding a place for hospitalization, but that it would have to be a place where he had adequate security from without as well as any idea of suicide.
Mr. Tonahill.
Is there anything unusual about a person who is mentally ill and of unsound mind, still possessing keen memory faculties and being able to recall things accurately and clearly as well as being able to give responsive answers and to be in touch with reality?
Dr. BEAVERS. Oh, I would say that many people of unsound mind are deteriorated enough that they do not have adequate memory. Early in the course of many mental illnesses a lot of the faculties, including memory, are preserved, so that this in itself I don't think would---because he has an apparently good memory would not mean that he is of sound mind.
Mr. Tonahill.
That's what I mean--that there's nothing unusual about the fact that he could still be of unsound mind and still have good recall and good response to the questions asked by the polygraph operator?
Dr. BEAVERS. I'm a little hung up on the term "unusual," because to me, this is a statistical matter when you put it in that phrase, and then you would be talking about what percentage of people do and what percentage of people don't.
Mr. Tonahill.
I don't mean to do that.
I meant to ask you specifically, can Jack Ruby be of unsound mind, not know right from wrong, appreciate the nature and quality of his actions, and still have a keen memory, a good memory, and give clear response to questions that appear to place him in touch with reality?
Dr. BEAVERS. In my opinion this is possible for a person.
Mr. Tonahill.
Is it reasonably probable from the standpoint of medical certainty in your profession?
Dr. BEAVERS. I think so. You have included a question that I find it very difficult to answer--this business of right and wrong.
Mr. Tonahill.
Yes.
Dr. BEAVERS. I stated my opinion to the Dallas Criminal Bar Association concerning this particular phraseology, and you asked it inclusive, in terms of several things?
Mr. Tonahill.
Well, with Mr. Alexander's help, we're going to eliminate that from the criminal test for insanity in criminal law in Texas. I believe that's all, unless Mr. Fowler has something.
Mr. Fowler.
Let me ask one thing, Dr. Beavers.
I believe that you do have a written report that you have submitted to the court, is that correct?
Dr. BEAVERS. Yes, sir. Now, I submitted a written report about the first evaluation, not to the court but to Mr. Burleson, who requested my services on behalf of family.
I then sent a shorter report, which included the major points and the recommendations, to the attorneys, to the judge, to Sheriff Decker, and I believe that's all.
Now, I assume, and I think it's the case that probably the defense attorneys passed the report on to the Judge, but I did not send it myself,
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