People watching the Sandusky trial

[Are_grits_groceries]

are saying he will probably testify.
They will also have an expert explaining 'histrionic personality disorder' which will be part of the defense.

The American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic manual calls histrionic personality disorder "a pervasive pattern of excessive emotionality and attention seeking" and "often characterized by inappropriate sexually seductive or provocative behavior" and rapidly shifting emotions.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57454872/jerry-sandusky-trial-shifts-to-former-penn-state-coachs-defense-with-prosecutors-likely-to-rest-case/

The irony is that the APA is in the process of removing this diagnosis from their criteria.
The prosecutor's psychiatrist examined Sandusky Sunday. He will get to testify if Amendola uses this tactic.

I have no idea how Sandusky will help his case after watching his interview with Bob Costas. Maybe they want one juror to buy in and hang the jury.

We are watching the end of a big molestation case in SC. The accused was in jail the entire time after his arrest on at least 1 million dollars bail. He cooperated with prosecutors and took a plea instead of putting everybody through a trial. The Citadel has been under fire for covering up what they knew when he was an instructor there.

[LuvNewcastle]

1. The defense is going to compare Sandusky to Marilyn Monroe?

It's times like this that I wish I could draw. I can just see Sandusky standing over a grate, trying to keep his skirt from blowing up.

[Sienna86]

2. I don't think this defense effort will affect the jurors decision.

He's toast.

[Are_grits_groceries]

3. I think they will hear

those young men sobbing for a long, long time.

[HereSince1628]

4. His attornies are ethically bound to provide a defense...

It's apparent that the prosecution has succeeded in showing Sandusky's conduct included acts which led to the charges.

When your lawyer can't deny the acts took place, the defense attempts to remove culpability for those actions...to make this work Sandusky's legal team will need to demonstrate that Sandusky meets the DSM-IV-tr criteria for histrionic personality disorder. HP is several times more common in women, it would be interesting to know how many times histrionic personality has been successfully employed in cases of statutory rape.

Histrionic personality disorder is about attention seeking and seeing oneself as the focus of attention. The defense team will need to do a lot of work to establish that Sandusky has consistently manifested at least 5 of the 8 criteria in the DSM-IV-tr since late adolescence:

-is uncomfortable in situations in which he or she is not the center of attention
-interaction with others is often characterized by inappropriate sexually seductive or provocative behavior
-displays rapidly shifting and shallow expression of emotions
-consistently uses physical appearance to draw attention to self
-has a style of speech that is excessively impressionistic and lacking in detail
-shows self-dramatization, theatricality, and exaggerated expression of emotion
-is suggestible, i.e., easily influenced by others or circumstances
-considers relationships to be more intimate than they actually are

And when his legal team has done that they will still be stuck with a significant legal problem--none of the criteria for histrionic personality disorder suggests either an inability to know right from wrong or an uncontrollable urge/compulsion to act.

[nenagh]

5. If the defense has a psychologist (or psychiatrist) testify for Sandusky...

Does that allow the prosecution access to Sandusky's medical records?

Specifically his prescribed meds?

[HereSince1628]

6. I'm not an attorney so I can't answer that.

There are no medications for Histrionic Personality Disorder, although that wouldn't preclude a psychiatric med for another co-occuring disorder.

Seems to me if medications were exculpatory it would be the defense that would be bring that up. I may be slow this morning, but I can't think of how a history with a prescribed drug would help the prosecution.

Why/how do you think that's important?

[laundry_queen]

7. your last sentence is key

personality disorders do not make you insane nor do they preclude you from, as you said, knowing right from wrong. Personality disorders are not the same things as mental illness. People with PDs are usually pretty good at controlling themselves when it means getting what they want.