the Nancy Grace School of Prosecutorial Demeanor

This has been an extremely busy week, and it ain’t over yet. In addition to data collection on our Mindfulness-Based Wellness program, it has been heavy on the forensic psych front: I gave expert testimony in a criminal case on Wednesday morning. In that case, I was of the opinion that the defendant, while possibly exaggerating some of his symptoms, and possibly even malingering, was also displaying some behavioral and cognitive symptoms that were very typical of genuine paranoia. This is the kind of case that is pretty complex and difficult to sort out; even among experienced and well-qualified forensic psychologists and psychiatrists, you are likely to see differing opinions. Everyone who does this work is aware of that (psychiatric diagnosis is far from a precision science). At any rate, the prosecutor on my case was one of those insufferable young women (so often I see this in female prosecutors, more so than in the guys, for some reason) who are influenced by the Nancy Grace School of Prosecutorial Demeanor. They are sarcastic and rude to witnesses, they take it all VERY personally, and, accordingly, they are not only unpleasant, but ineffective. At one time I was in the business of teaching young prosecutors how to work effectively in the courtroom; this young woman would have gotten, at best, a C- from me on that cross examination. Maybe someday someone will explain it to her; or, maybe she will just outgrow it. I have to admit, though it pains me to say so, that I had to outgrow some of that, myself. Eventually I learned that nothing is gained by taking a case, or anything that happens during the course of a trial, personally (or anywhere else, for that matter!).

And today I am just back in town after a very long trip to the forensic unit at Fulton State Hospital, to see two guys in the historic (and infamous) Biggs Building, and then to drive home in a snowstorm. Lots of cars off the road, lots of people driving very slowly, a few people driving way too fast, and overall a stressful drive.