Part 30 (1/2)
”Overruled.”
”Your Honor-”
”Sit down, Mr. Singer.”
David glared at Judge Williams and angrily took his seat.
”So what you're telling us, Doctor, is that there's no evidence that will prove or disprove the existence of MPD?”
”Well, no. But-”
Brennan nodded. ”That's all.”
Dr. Royce Salem was on the witness stand.
David said, ”Dr. Salem, you examined Ashley Patterson?”
”I did.”
”And what was your conclusion?”
”Miss Patterson is suffering from MPD. She has two alters who call themselves Toni Prescott and Alette Peters.”
”Does she have any control over them?”
”None. When they take over, she is in a state of fugue amnesia.”
”Would you explain that, Dr. Salem?”
”Fugue amnesia is a condition where the victim loses consciousness of where he is, or what he is doing. It can last for a few minutes, days or sometimes weeks.”
”And during that time would you say that that person is responsible for his or her actions?”
”No.”
”Thank you, Doctor.” He turned to Brennan. ”Your witness.”
Brennan said, ”Dr. Salem, you are a consultant at several hospitals and you give lectures all around the world?”
”Yes, sir.”
”I a.s.sume that your peers are gifted, capable doctors?”
”Yes, I would say they are.”
”So, they all agree about multiple personality disorder?”
”No.”
”What do you mean, no?”
”Some of them don't agree.”
”You mean, they don't believe it exists?”
”Yes.”
”But they're wrong and you're right?”
”I've treated patients, and I know know that there is such a thing. When-” that there is such a thing. When-”
”Let me ask you something. If there were were such a thing as multiple personality disorder, would one alter always be in charge of telling the host what to do? The alter says, 'Kill,' and the host does it?” such a thing as multiple personality disorder, would one alter always be in charge of telling the host what to do? The alter says, 'Kill,' and the host does it?”
”It depends. Alters have various degrees of influence.”
”So the host could could be in charge?” be in charge?”
”Sometimes, of course.”
”The majority of times?”
”No.”
”Doctor, where is the proof that MPD exists?”
”I have witnessed complete physical changes in patients under hypnosis, and I know-”
”And that's a basis of truth?”
”Yes.”
”Dr. Salem, if I hypnotized you in a warm room and told you that you were at the North Pole naked in a snowstorm, would your body temperature drop?”
”Well, yes, but-”
”That's all.”
David walked over to the witness stand. ”Dr. Salem, is there any doubt in your mind that these alters exist in Ashley Patterson?
”None. And they are absolutely capable of taking over and dominating her.”
”And she would not be aware of it?”
”She would not be aware of it.”
”Thank you.”
”I would like to call Shane Miller to the stand.” David watched him being sworn in. ”What do you do, Mr. Miller?”
”I'm a supervisor at Global Computer Graphics Corporation.”