Dr. Albert LaVerne, Witness for the Defense

Cross examination by Aubrey Daniels:

Q: Was Lieutenant Calley's judgment impaired beyond normal limits on March 16th, 1968?

A: What do you mean by "normal limits ?

Q: Was his judgment impaired on March sixteenth?

A: Yes, sir.

Q: How?

A: He could not challenge the legality or illegality of the orders given by Captain Medina. Captain Medina had become a father figure to him.

Q: Did he suffer from an irresistible impulse?

A: He was compelled to carry out that order without challenging that order. But I would not call it an irresistible impulse.

Q: Could he disobey that order?

A: No, he could not disobey that order. He was like an automaton, a robot. When the order came to stop shooting, the party's over, he stopped. But I would not classify it as an irresistible impulse because it went on for several hours later

Q: Was he conscious of his actions?

A: Yes, absolutely.

Q: Morally?

A: You meant did he know right from wrong? Yes he knew right from wrong.

Q: Was Lieutenant Calley psychotic?

A: No.

Q: Was Lieutenant Calley neurotic?

A: No.

Q: Did Lieutenant Calley know right from wrong?

A: Yes.

Q: Could Lieutenant Calley adhere to the right?

A: He had a compulsion to carry out his orders, to do his duty as an officer.

Q: Isn't that characteristic of a soldier?

A: Who else has done what Lieutenant Calley is alleged to have done? ....

A: He proceeded to carry out his orders.

Q: How?

A: One was to order Meadlo and another man to--

Q: What other man?

A: I'll have to check my notes.

Q: You do that.

Q: Are these your notes?

A: Part of them. They're base on my notes, on facts given me by Lieutenant Calley that I gave to Mr. Latimer.

Q: Did Lieutenant Calley tell you all of these facts about March sixteenth?

A: Well, I think I got more from the newspaper, radio, and television.

Q: You mean, you knew about what happened on March sixteenth before you talked to Lieutenant Calley?

A: I'd have to be pretty stupid not to know.

Q: Well, can you remember what he told you that wasn't in the newspapers and wasn't in the hypothetical statement?

A: No, all I can remember is what's in the hypothetical statement.

Q: Didn't you ask him a lot of questions?

A: Yes.

Q: What were some of those questions?

A: I don't remember.

Q: Why not? That's not so hard, is it? It doesn't take much energy to remember what you asked.

A: I spent by energy preparing for your cross-examination.

Q: Well, doctor, did you write down those questions so we can see them?

A: The questions weren't in written form.
 

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