|
|
| The sleepwalking defense |
 Just now on the Crime Channel
they had a feature about the increasing number of "sleepwalking" murder
defenses. If I was a juror on any of the cases shown, my instinct
would normally be to dismiss it as the defense gimmick du-jour.
Normally. But this rang an old bell, reminding me of one of the
oddest things I ever did. I was 7-8 years old, and being baby-sat
by granny. I loved my granny, and have nothing but the
fondest memories of her. She lived with us, and was my tutor in
card games, and how to eat British style with the fork in the wrong
hand. My affection for her is important, in light of the
following,
The next day she confronted me with why I had attacked her the night before? Huh? Yes. Evidently I came downstairs with a pillow, and began a frenzied, not at all playful, pillow attack. It went on for awhile, and then I went back upstairs. I had no memory of it at all, and to my knowledge have never sleep-walked again. She found it hard to believe that this was an unconscious act, because my eyes were open, and I was quite animated, but sleep-walking it was. In light of what I've just seen, thank gawd I didn't sleep with a hammer. |
