IMT01-T167
VolumeVolume I — Page 167
5. Competence and sanity. I have read the application of Dr. Seidl both in German and in English, and wish to make the following comment:
a. Lay discussion of psychiatric concepts does not help throw any light on this case, because psychiatrists themselves are not in agreement on the definition of terms like "psychopathic constitution", "hysterical reaction", etc., and these terms have entirely different meanings in English and German usage.
b. The psychiatric commissions have agreed, and my further observations have confirmed, that Hess is riot insane (in the legal sense of being incapable of distinguishing right from wrong or realizing the consequences of his acts).
c. Hess did recover his memory for a sufficient period of time (2—3 months) to give his counsel ample cooperation in the preparation of his defense. If he failed to do so, it was the result of a negativistic personality peculiarity, which I have also observed, and not incompetence.
d. There has been no indication in his ease history or present behavior that he was insane at the time of the activities for which he has been indicted. His behavior throughout the trial has also shown sufficient insight and reason to dispel any doubts about his sanity. (He may have gone through a psychotic episode in England, but that in no way destroys the validity of the previous two statements. He has exhibited signs of a "persecution complex" here too, but these have not been of psychotic proportions.)
e. In my opinion, another examination by a psychiatric commission at this time would not throw any further light on the case, because the clinical picture is the same and the conclusions would necessarily be the same as those of the original psychiatric commissions, to wit: Hess is not insane but suffering from hysterical amnesia. I have discussed this case with the present prison psychiatrist, Lt. Col. Dunn, who has recently examined Hess, and he is also of the opinion that Hess's present mental state is apparently the same as that indicated in the original psychiatric reports, which he has read.
/ s / G. M. GILBERT, Ph.D.
Prison Psychologist
