The Suspect

Whoever, by word of mouth, behavior, personal appearance or by any other means suggests that he may be a source of harm, or that he may already have hurt us, is called "suspect."There are suspected persons, suspicious facts and equivocal appearances.Suspicion of imminent danger or injury may attach to any person.The defendant in court suspects the mild and gracious looks of the judge because he has heard that one of these "hanging judges" was "a saintly looking old gentleman with flowing white hair, a white beard, a ruddy complexion and a soft, low voice."Bloody Parker of the United States Court in Fort Smith sentenced one hundred and seventy-two men to death.He had abundant white hair and a benevolent spirit.A man who knew him relates: "Off the bench Parker was a gentle, courtly man whom the people of Fort Smith honored."If I should offer any criticism of him it would be that his charges to his juries were not impartial expositions of the law 2 ... " To the suspected judges should be added witnesses of the same character.Witnesses who told the court that they saw the defendant in a movie where they had paid a shilling for their seats, became suspicious when it was proved that there were no vacant seats at that time and that the price had been raised to one shilling, six 1 Recorder John W. Goff . . ."whose name sfruck terror to the hearts of evildoers."Richard H. Rovere

Criminology · Psychopathology · Suspect · Clinical Psychology · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Psychology

• Dark Legend, a Study in Murder

  Bruno Solby, Frederic Wertham•Sociometry•1941

  Add to list