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.
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