THE Bobbitt trial came to an end today. The prosecutors and the

defence made their last appeals to the jury, which then retired to

consider whether Lorena Bobbitt was temporarily insane when she cut off

her husband's penis.

The trial, which has been televised live, has riveted public

attention. It was recessed for a public holiday on Monday, the day of

the Los Angeles earthquake, the only event that could have driven it off

the screen.

All last week the court heard from John Bobbitt, from his wife Lorena,

and from a long succession of witnesses for the defence who had seen him

abuse her.

In the last days of the trial, it was the turn of the psychiatrists

and for the prosecution's last, deadly witness.

This was Connie James, a former colleague of Lorena Bobbitt's. She

said that in 1990 they discussed what they would do if they discovered

that their husbands were cheating on them.

Mrs James said she would kill her husband -- but claims that she was

joking. Mrs Bobbitt said that she would cut off her husband's penis

''because that would hurt him more than just killing him''.

Despite the defence's best efforts, and Lorena Bobbitt's being

recalled to the stand to deny saying it, Mrs James stuck to her claim

that Mrs Bobbitt was not joking.

The exchange provided an illustration of changing standards and the

use of euphemism under the influence of television. The New York Times

said Mrs James ''used a common vulgarism for penis''.

Later in the story, this prudish newspaper discussed the conflicting

testimony of the Bobbitts on the question of anal sex.

The Washington Post emasculated the quote ''I would cut his (expletive

deleted) off'', but television news last night showed the witness, who

first asked permission, looking at the camera and saying the naughty

word to millions of viewers: ''She said, 'I would cut his dick off'.''

The defence maintains that Mrs Bobbitt was an abused wife, that she

was driven to frenzy on the night of last June 23 when he returned home

drunk and raped her. After he fell asleep, she went into the kitchen to

fetch a 12in knife, and returned to the bedroom to attack her sleeping

husband.

Her attorney said she was temporarily insane. The prosecution conceded

that she had been abused by John Bobbitt, but asserted that the act was

pure revenge, that it could not be construed as self-defence.

Mrs Bobbitt has a crowd of supporters on permanent watch outside the

courthouse, many of them South American -- she is a native of Ecuador.

They cheer her every time she arrives and when she leaves.

John Wayne Bobbitt is also cheered, by a much smaller claque, and

there is a thriving street market in Bobbitt teeshirts, kitchen

utensils, and posters.

The attack has been a staple for late-night comedians for months, and

the Bobbitts have already entered American folklore.

Now the instant books are being written, and the first made-for-TV

movie will be ready by summer.

Prosecutors today

concluded with psychologist

Evan Nelson,who challenged

the ''irresistible impulse''

defence and said nothing

indicated that Mrs Bobbitt

was not in control of herself.

Examination after the crime

showed her to be suffering

''major depression''bu he doubted

this amounted to temporary insanity.