Chapter 4

           WhenBemieYavitchandTerryShermanreadDr.GeorgeHardingsreport,theyagreeditwasoneofthemostthoroughmentalexaminationstheyhadeverseen.Allthethingstheyasprosecutorshadbeentrainedtoattackinthetestimonyofpsychiatrists,allthepositionstheymightnormallyobjectto,wereunassailableinHardingsreport.Ithadn’tbeenathree-orfour-hourcheckup.Ithadbeenahospitalstudyofmorethansevenmonths.AnditwasnotjustHardingsopinionalone,butincludedconsultationwithagreatmanyotherpsychologistsandpsychiatrists.

           OnOctober6,1978,JudgeFlowers,afterholdingabriefcompetencyhearing,ruledonthebasisoftheHardingreportthatMilliganwasnowcapableofstandingtrial.HesettnedateforDecember4.

           Schweickartsaidthatwassatisfactory,withoneproviso:thatthetrialbeconductedunderthelawthatexistedatthetimeofthecrimes.(TheOhiolawwouldchangeonNovember1,placingtheburdenofproofofinsanityonthedefendantratherthanplacingtheburdenofproofofsanityontheprosecution.)

           Yavitchdisagreed.

           "Iwilltakethatmotionunderadvisement,"JudgeFlowerssaid."Iknowsimilarmotionswhereamendmentshavebeenmade—specifically,thenewcriminalcode,forexample.Iknowinmostinstancestheyhaveheld,almostwithoutexception,thatthedefendantisentitledtothebetteroftheactsastoonewayortheother.ButIknowofnodecisionorcourtcasesinthatregard.