Quincy M.E. (1976–1983): Season 7, Episode 14 - Into the Murdering Mind - full transcript
The kid kills his own
father, brother and sister.
The boy is sick.
That boy is a
cold-blooded killer.
You know he's
gonna kill me, too.
Glenn is in custody
now. He can't hurt you.
He always gets out.
We have
incontrovertible evidence
that he brutally murdered
three members of his family
and you say he may
not spend a day in jail?
- I did it,
but I'm not responsible.
- That's right.
Sane or insane, a
murderer is a murderer
and he must be taken out of
society for as long as the law dictates!
Gentlemen, you
are about to enter
the most fascinating
sphere of police work,
the world of forensic medicine.
You know the routine.
No, that isn't any
problem. Thank you.
Doctor Shannon
is waiting for her
- in B ward. Just...
- Where is he?
I've already told you,
we're trying to locate him.
Go ahead, we'll catch the
paperwork on your way out.
You gotta tell him he's getting
out again. Did you tell him?
Mr. Werner, there are
a lot of doctors here,
- can't someone else help you?
- No!
No. I gotta see Doctor Avalar.
He here, he's gotta be here.
He back there. He
doesn't want to see me.
Doctor Avalar is not here.
We're trying to locate him.
Now, why don't you
sit back down over there
- and I'll let you know
the minute he arrives.
- No!
I can't. He's getting out again.
- He got to stop him.
- Okay, okay...
Try Doctor Avalar again
- and alert Mr. Blue...
- No. Not Mr. Blue, that security...
They can't stop him,
only Doctor Avalar can.
Why don't you listen?
Nobody ever listens!
All right. All right.
Morning!
Jeff! Rebecca!
Come on, guys. There's
more luggage in the car.
I see no one opened
the mail while I was gone.
Ryan, I don't believe you went to
sleep in front of the television again.
Come on, honey.
Honey, come on.
You're gonna be late...
Ryan...
Ryan!
Oh, my God.
Jeffrey... Rebecca...
Jeff!
Beck... Becky!
Jeffrey!
- I'm all through upstairs,
Doctor Quincy.
- Oh, good. Ed, listen...
- You okay?
- Oh, yeah.
They're not usually
this grisly. I'm fine.
Did you cover the
walls and ceilings?
- Those
splatters are essential.
- Yeah. Got it all.
Why don't you take
pictures of the fireplace?
Looks like someone tried to
burn some clothes in there.
- Okay, I'll get 'em.
- Have you seen Sam around?
No, not in a while.
When Eddie gets
through taking the pictures,
I want you to clean
out the fireplace.
Got anything for us yet, Quince?
Sorry, nothing much until
I get all of this downtown.
Don't apologize.
Just tell me where I can get my
hands on the animals that did this.
Not animals. Animal. It
looks like one person did it all.
- Have you seen Sam?
- He's outside, by the van.
- What he doing there?
- He's just standing there.
Sam, where'd you disappear to? I
could have used a little help with...
- What is it? What happened?
- Nothing. I'm...
Sam? Don't "nothing" me! You
and I have been through too much,
- too long for that.
- I'm sorry, Quince.
You know I never let my
personal life interfere...
Please. No apologies, no
heroics. Now come on. Tell me.
I guess this one just hit
too close to home, Quince.
It's always the other guy. Always
anonymous strangers we work on.
- They're not
strangers this time.
- What do you mean?
I used to work right
next door... There.
Yeah, while I was going through school.
I told you about my crazy Uncle Yoki.
The gardener who was trying
to develop bonsai avocado trees.
Yeah. Uncle Yoki... The Mercers
next door were one of his clients.
I worked that lawn for my uncle
twice a week for... God, three years.
I watched the
Werner kids grow up.
It's different when it happens
to people you know, Quince.
When they're slaughtered like
livestock. Believe me, it's different.
I know. I do know.
Listen, I'll talk to Doctor
Asten. You take some time off.
Thanks, Quince, but no
thanks. I want to do this case.
I think I owe it to them.
All right. Then we'd
better get to work.
We'll do the autopsies
as soon as we get in.
Glenn?
Glenn, are you in there?
Excuse me.
Do you know if he's home?
Glenn! It's me... Doctor Avalar.
Glenn.
Glenn?
It's me, Doctor Avalar.
Glenn, are you all right?
Can you hear me?
Hey, come on. We have to
talk. Yeah, it's me. Come on.
We have to talk.
- You came to
see me last night.
- What?
I said you wanted
to see me last night.
- No. No, I didn't.
- Yes, you did.
- Leave me alone.
- Come on,
swing your feet over.
Come on, get up.
Come on, swing your feet over.
Come on, snap out of it. Hey!
Now listen to me.
You came to the hospital
to see me. I wasn't there.
You told the nurse,
"He's out again."
Remember?
Did he get out, Glenn? Did
the beast get out last night?
- Glenn!
- No...
He...
- I can't remember.
- Try. Try hard.
- I can't remember.
- Come on, now try. Try hard.
Come on. Look.
After you left the
hospital last night,
did you go to your
parents' home?
- Is that where you went?
- No.
Come on, try and remember.
It's important. Please.
I don't know.
I don't remember.
You haven't been taking
your medication, have you?
Have you? Look at that.
You've missed about four days.
Tell me where you went after
you left the hospital last night.
Nowhere.
I was here, wasn't I?
No.
Oh, God.
- You all right, Sam?
- Yeah.
- Let's finish the last one.
- Thanks, Quince. I appreciate it.
- This is Jeff?
- Yeah.
- He was the oldest?
- No. He had an older brother.
I didn't know him, though. He
was always away at private school.
But the kids always
talked about him.
I certainly don't envy his mother having
to call him back from school for this.
You want to give
me the hand lens.
There's some blood wiped on
the skin at the origin of the incision
- just under the right ear.
- Yeah, I see it.
There isn't much doubt about
the order in which they were killed.
The trail of blood was pretty
clear. But we better verify it.
Sam, get a petri dish and get
this blood sample for typing.
- Yeah.
- Make sure he was
the second one killed.
- Damn!
- Sam, you okay?
- Yeah.
- Sam...
Sam, if you lose your objectivity,
it won't help either one of us.
I know. I know. I just...
I can't accept the viciousness,
the senselessness of these murders.
And he, whoever he
is, is out there, free.
While these kids and their
father in their own home.
It's not right.
It's just not right.
Wanna call it a night? We
could start fresh in the morning.
No. Let's finish.
Okay.
All of the incisions look like
they're from the same instrument.
But the direction
of slash on the kids
is right to left instead
of the other way around.
Yeah. Which means your
suspicion is probably right,
they were killed in their sleep.
But all the incisions have these
shallow parallel cuts at the ends.
From an irregular edge on the blade
as it was drawn out of the incision.
It wasn't a straight
edge. Hi, Monahan.
You mean more
like a serrated knife.
Like this?
Yeah, like this.
Where'd you find it?
Same place we found
the kid who used it.
- Who? When?
- About two hours ago.
His psychiatrist surrendered him.
And here one for the books, Quince.
- The killer is Glenn Werner.
- Glenn Werner? No.
Can you beat that?
The kid killed his own
father, brother and sister.
The bodies will be turned over
to the mortuary this afternoon.
I told them...
I told them over and over,
they had to keep him in there,
but no, they kept
letting him out.
- Who did you tell, Mrs. Werner?
- Everyone!
The hospital, the
courts, the psychiatrists...
I told them some day
he's going to kill all of us.
- You knew?
- Of course I knew.
They knew too!
They were supposed to
tell us when he got out.
They were supposed
to call, something.
God, look what he did.
If you knew and they knew,
why wasn't something done?
They kept telling
us he was cured.
But we knew better.
He's disturbed... Deranged.
He's been threatening
to kill us for years.
Doctor, they knew that!
Why didn't they warn
us when he got out?
- They were supposed to!
- I don't know, Mrs. Werner,
but I promise you I'll find out.
Thank you.
- He going to kill me too.
- He in custody now, Mrs. Werner.
- Glenn can't hurt you.
- Don't you understand?
He's going to get out.
He always gets out.
All right, Werner, tell me
about the voices again.
Did you recognize the voice?
We've been over this a
hundred times already.
I don't remember.
But you do remember going
to the hospital last night.
Yes. No. I mean...
Did you go or didn't you go to the
hospital around 11:00 last night?
- Yes, but...
- So you do remember.
No. I told you, Doctor
Avalar told me I was there.
When did you decide
to kill your father?
I told you! I don't know
how many times I told you.
I don't remember
doing it. Maybe I didn't.
Then who killed him?
- Doctor Quincy?
- Yes.
I'm Sal Angeletti. Deputy
DA, Psychiatric Section.
I brought all of the documents
your office requested.
There some photos
showing the mutilations.
Just wanted to warn you.
Why don't you take a look at
the kid while I go over these?
That's his psychiatrist.
Tony Avalar, Marshall
State Hospital.
Doctor Quincy, Medical Examiner.
- He one of yours, huh?
- For the last
couple of years, anyhow.
I told them this
is a waste of time.
Glenn won't remember
a thing, I guarantee it.
You'd be surprised what some of these
guys remember with a little persuasion.
You stay put, Werner,
I'll be right back.
Get out!
Out! Get out!
Get out!
No...
No! Stop it! Please.
- Just leave me alone!
- The medication
is wearing off.
I can't let you
continue doing this.
It's not up to you. His
lawyer gave us full consent.
- The boy is sick!
- The boy is
a cold-blooded killer.
I'm getting nowhere
fast with him.
Concentrate on the
"voices" business.
- Then hit him with
that "beast" angle.
- What "beast"?
That what he
calls his alter ego.
Lieutenant, I've already
told Mr. Angeletti,
his medication is wearing off.
- He doesn't remember a thing.
- Well, maybe we can
prod his memory a bit.
Angeletti, this whole
procedure is absolutely medieval.
Why don't you just bring out the
thumbscrews and the boiling oil?
Those things were only used
when the guy was really crazy.
All right, Werner,
get back at the table.
Is he gone?
He's gone, right?
Yeah. He's gone.
Get back on the chair.
The voice again?
You recognize it?
- Whose voice was it? The beast?
- No.
- Then whose?
- God.
God's voice.
- God talks to you?
- Not me.
To him. To the beast.
God talks to the beast.
And the beast told
you to kill them.
I didn't kill them!
The beast must have killed them.
The beast was out. He got out.
- He must have killed them.
- Why did the beast kill them?
Why?
Don't you understand?
To save them!
Their souls were in jeopardy. He
had to save them before they sinned.
And to save their souls
from eternal damnation.
I don't know why, I
suddenly feel sorry for the kid.
Because he good, that why.
He got his act down pat.
- I'm gonna get
a cup of coffee.
- I'll see you later.
Doctor.
- What are you talking about?
- What do you mean?
That boy is in the grip
of a psychotic episode.
Sure he is.
I haven't seen acting like
that since Olivier's Hamlet.
- Mr. Angeletti,
are you a psychiatrist?
- Nope.
Then you are way out of line.
Read those reports in front of you.
Glenn came to see me
last night before the murders.
He was trying to get
help to stop himself.
- Or was just
setting up a great alibi.
- What?
What time did he
go to the hospital?
- 11:00.
- Are you ever there at 11:00?
No. But what difference
does that make?
It means he knew
you wouldn't be there.
Why didn't he stay
with another doctor?
Because I'm his
doctor and he trusts me.
Yeah. Trusts you not to be
there when he setting up an alibi.
Mr. Angeletti,
I'm just grateful we have laws
in this country to protect the sick.
Because with people like you,
you'd just line them up
against the wall and shoot them.
We'll see what happens in court.
All right, Werner.
Let's start from the beginning.
You really think Werner
was faking the whole thing?
The performance of a lifetime.
I just can't
believe it's an act.
Well, that's my opinion. I think
he's as phony as a three dollar bill.
Even so, it doesn't matter
now. We got him. It's over.
- It's not over. It's just beginning.
- What are you talking about?
We have enough evidence here to
put him away for the rest of his life.
And I've prosecuted
hundreds of cases like this.
With more evidence.
And they still walked away
without a day in prison.
Wait a second.
We have
incontrovertible evidence
that he brutally murdered
three members of his family
and you say he may not
spend a day in prison for it?
- He's as guilty as sin!
- Guilt isn't the issue!
Listen, Doctor Quincy. I'll explain
it to you. This is a bifurcated trial.
Any halfway decent
lawyer will plead him guilty,
so he won't prejudice the court
with the grisly facts of the case.
And a smart lawyer... And
you can bet he'll get one...
He'll get him off on an N.G.I.
Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity.
All right, so even if he's found
Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity,
he'll still be put away in
a state mental hospital.
Oh, yeah. And for
killing three people,
the law even spells out
a minimum commitment.
- What is
the minimum commitment?
- Ninety days.
- He can get out
in ninety days?
- You got it.
- But he killed three people!
- Not in the eyes of the law,
he didn't.
Unless we can prove intent.
That he knew exactly what he
was doing at the time of the killings.
Look, Doctor Quincy, the Drew decision
in California spells it out nice and neat.
The law says, and I quote,
"A person is not responsible
for criminal conduct
"if at the time of such conduct,
"as a result of mental
disease or defect,
"he lacks substantial capacity
"either to appreciate the
criminality of his conduct
"or to conform his conduct
to the requirements of law."
Period.
- And Werner's act
certainly qualifies him.
- But the law is so vague.
It can apply to just about anyone
who commits a violent crime.
Tell me.
- Here you are, gentlemen.
- Oh, thanks.
I'm sorry, Quince,
I just can't buy it.
Not after killing the Werners.
They were just too good, too decent.
I know how you feel, Sam,
but Glenn's lawyer did exactly
what Angeletti said he would.
He pled guilty and
waived a jury trial.
Okay, so he pled guilty at
the first phase of the trial.
- Now what?
- It's called
a bifurcated trial.
First they try guilt or innocence,
which he pleads guilty to.
Then they try sanity.
Both sides present their
psychiatric testimony to the judge
and he alone decides if
Glenn was sane or insane
at the time he
committed the murders.
Well, obviously, anyone
who cuts the throats
of three members
of his family is insane.
Their point exactly.
No. That's not right.
It's just too easy.
Sam, I agree with
you. But that's the law.
And the law says this
homicidal manic can be out,
walking around as a
free man in ninety days?
That's the minimum. The
average commitment is three years.
Three years for three
murders. And then what?
He gets out and
kills three more?
Excuse me, Quincy. I couldn't
help but overhear this conversation.
Are you guys saying that Glenn
Werner is gonna get off scot-free?
It sure looks that way.
Kid's got a smart lawyer.
An N.G.I.'s easy to cop.
What do you know about it?
What do you guys do? Just
read the medical journals?
Read the newspapers once in a while.
Find out what going on in the world.
A couple of years ago, there
was a con back in Illinois,
he practically wrote a
book on coppin' an N.G.I.
- Are you serious?
- Would this face lie?
He wrote a manual on
how to get off on insanity.
Just keep acting crazy. Tell the
shrinks you hear all these voices,
wet your pants during
the psychiatric interviews.
Do indecent things
in front of the shrinks.
Confess to every crime,
invent a few. Things like that.
- And it worked?
- Worked for him.
That is, until the screws
found the papers he wrote.
Angeletti thinks he is faking it. He said
he was as phony as a three dollar bill.
But Quincy, you saw the boy.
According to the doctor,
Werner is a delusional.
A paranoid schizophrenic.
You can't fake that.
I can't, and you can't,
but maybe he can.
Just maybe he can.
You'd like some coffee, doctor?
- No, thank you.
As you can see in Werner's file,
he was arrested two years
ago for assaulting his father.
- With an axe.
- With an axe.
He was tried as a juvenile, found guilty
and sent to the California Youth Authority.
Then based on his previous
history and his delusional behavior,
the C.Y.A. turned him
over to us for treatment.
Doctor Avalar, do you
believe his "beast" story?
Do I believe it? No.
There really no such thing as
a so-called "split personality".
It's fiction, it's a myth.
So you think he was faking
that whole "beast" business.
No, I didn't say that.
The "beast" construct
was convenient for him.
It helped him accept all the
evil he was responsible for.
It let him get away with a lot.
- So really,
he knew what he was doing?
- On one level,
the subconscious level, yes, he
knew. But on the conscious level, no.
I think my diagnosis there
is very accurate, Doctor.
Glenn Werner was... No, he
is a paranoid schizophrenic.
But if he knew what he was
doing, even on a subconscious level,
- couldn't he be
faking the rest?
- Of course. But to what end?
To escape responsibility for
killing three decent, innocent people.
You have to admit,
talking about the beast,
claiming to hear voices... It's a
perfect alibi for an insanity plea.
Let me ask you
something, Doctor.
Here a boy who has spent close
to half his life in mental institutions.
Now take a look
around. He's behind bars,
incarcerated for all
intents and purposes.
He's in jail!
Would a sane person fake
insanity to get in here? Locked up?
But the point is, he doesn't
stay in. He keeps getting out.
And what happens if the
judge buys his N.G.I. plea?
Sure he gets locked up
here. But for how long?
How long before he's out on the street
again? How long before he kills again?
Tell me the truth. Can you
really cure schizophrenia?
Actually, we don't cure the
illness, we alleviate the symptoms.
The new psychotropic
drugs we use are amazing.
So Glenn Werner wasn't really cured
when the court released him six weeks ago.
His illness was benign just as
long as he took his medication.
And hopefully his psychotherapy
would provide an ultimate cure.
Well, it looks like
it didn't, Doctor.
Doctor Quincy, there is absolutely nothing
in the law to provide for a free man,
insane as he may be, to
be forced to take medication.
- It's unconstitutional.
- So is killing
three innocent people.
It's the most
unconstitutional thing of all.
Thank you for your time.
- Would you like some coffee?
- Yes, I would. Thank you.
I'm still not sure what you
expected to find, Doctor Quincy.
Glenn hasn't lived
here for years.
I'm not sure
either, Mrs. Werner.
Something, anything
that would help us prove
that Glenn was sane at the
time he attacked on your family.
- Could a sane
person do what he did?
- No. I don't think so.
But the medical
definition of sanity
is a lot different than the
legal definition of sanity.
All we have to prove is that Glenn knew
what he was doing when he killed them.
He always knew what he was
doing, that's the insidious part.
Even when he was a child, he...
It's strange how a mother always
thinks the best of their children.
Even a child like Glenn.
We just felt he was disturbed.
I mean, mental illness
is still an illness, isn't it?
Yes, it is.
And no one has been
able to tell me why
his behavior became
more and more violent.
- Would you
rather not continue?
- No, no, I...
I need to talk this out.
Some of the neighborhood
children were having a campout
in a backyard down the
block. Glenn wasn't invited
and I guess he felt rejected.
He put some lawn furniture in
front of the entrance to the tent
and he set the tent on fire.
- Were any of
the children hurt?
- Thank God, none seriously.
But we kept Glenn at the
hospital for over a year.
Then it was just in and out of
trouble, in and out of hospitals.
And he was put in
Marshall State Hospital
after he attacked your
husband with an axe.
He and Ryan had a stupid fight.
I think it was the car or
curfew or something like that.
Glenn got an axe
from the tool shed
and Ryan was in the
hospital for six weeks.
And that's when Glenn
threatened to kill all of you.
Yes.
I think I wish he had.
I'm going to meet Mr. Angeletti
at Glenn's hotel room.
If I find anything, anything
at all, I'll let you know.
Thanks. You've been more
help already than you know.
- Doctor Quincy?
- What is it?
It's from Glenn.
Postmarked yesterday.
- Oh, my God.
- Mrs. Werner, what does it say?
"It's lucky you weren't
home that night.
"I've got you to thank for putting
me here. You're responsible.
"I know I'll be out soon and I'm going
to be able to thank you personally.
"I can't wait until
that day comes.
"Nothing will make
me happier. Glenn."
He's going to do it!
He's going to get
out and kill me too!
Quincy, I'm telling you,
we're doing everything legally
and humanly possible to prove
him sane. It's just not that easy.
Sal, look at these.
"Freud and His Times"
"Abnormal Psychology."
Very interesting.
- "Very interesting." That all you can say?
- How about useless?
Hey...
- Sal.
- What?
Look at the sections
Glenn underlined.
"The affective schizophrenic
often discerns extraneous voices,
"usually that of God,
Christ or the Apostles,
"and patterns his behavior to the
commands or suggestions of these voices."
There, it's obvious. Glenn
studied his part. He's an expert.
These books taught him what to
say, how to act, exactly how to fake it.
Or, as the defense will
argue, here is a sick boy,
trying desperately to understand
his illness, trying to get a handle on it.
Pouring over textbooks.
It's no good, Quincy.
What about the threatening
letter he wrote his mother?
- Useless.
- Again, useless.
That letter is a
blatant threat to kill her.
When you read it, it's a threat.
But it can also be read this way.
"It's lucky you weren't
home that night."
He thankful she wasn't
around when he lost control.
"I've got you to thank for putting
me here. You're responsible."
Here he's again thankful
that she understands
his problem and
wants him to get help.
"I know I'll be out soon and I'll
be able to thank you personally.
"I can't wait until that day comes.
Nothing will make me happier."
An expression of hope that
he will soon be cured and out,
able to reestablish a relationship
like a normal mother and son.
But that's not what
the letter means!
Not to you, maybe. And
certainly not to Mrs. Werner.
But to the court...
Why not?
I've increased the
dosage slightly.
You'll probably be a little drowsier
and your mouth will be a lot drier.
- Sorry.
- I couldn't care less.
I hope to hell they send
me to the gas chamber.
- That's where I belong.
- Well,
I got news for you, Glenn.
It doesn't look like
that's going to happen.
I think you're going to be
back with us for a while.
No. Not after what I did.
I don't deserve it. I
don't deserve to live.
Doc, I want you
to fix it for me.
- What do you mean?
- I want you to tell
the judge they gotta kill me.
- Why?
- After what I did?
My own father?
Jeff...
My little sister?
You gotta ask why?
Glenn, tell me the truth.
We have a doctor-patient
confidentiality.
What you tell me goes
no further than my ears.
Look at me, son.
When you killed them,
- did you know
what you were doing?
- Of course not!
Would...
Could anyone do
something like that
if they knew what
they were doing?
The law understands that, Glenn.
See,
the law says you're not
responsible for a criminal act
if you lacked the mental
ability to form intent.
Since you didn't know
what you were doing,
you couldn't possibly have
formed the intent to do it.
- Do you understand?
- Yeah.
- I did it,
but I'm not responsible.
- That's right.
You tell me, Doc,
how do I explain that
to my brother
and my sister?
How do I explain it to them?
Mr. Angeletti, do the people have any
further arguments before my decision?
No, Your Honor.
Mr. Childers. Does the defense have
any further arguments before my decision?
- No, Your Honor, we don't.
- All right then.
Glenn Ryan Werner,
information number 683832,
which charged you with three
counts of murder in the first degree,
a violation of section
187 of the penal code.
You have previously entered
a plea of guilty to those counts,
- is that correct?
- It is, Your Honor.
Having previously pled guilty to three
counts of murder in the first degree,
in violation of section
187 of the penal code,
and this court sitting without a
jury, having heard all the evidence
from both sides on the issue of
insanity has reached a decision.
Now, before my decision
is read, let me first say
that this court has been presented
with a particularly difficult decision.
I have reviewed all of
the testimony entered
with emphasis placed on
the psychiatric testimony
entered by both
sides of the bar.
In analyzing this testimony
and the defendant's previous record
as submitted by defense counsel,
this court finds the
defendant, Glenn Ryan Werner,
not guilty by reason of insanity to the
charges of murder in the first degree,
counts one, two and three.
It is therefore the opinion
and judgment of this court
that the defendant, Glenn Ryan
Werner, in accordance with Title 15,
be remanded to the California
Department of Mental Health
and be placed in
the care and custody
of the Los Angeles County
Department of Mental Health,
who, within fifteen
days, will submit
to this court, their
recommendations
as to the proper commitment or treatment
of the defendant, Glenn Ryan Werner.
Court will stand adjourned.
I just can't believe it. He
bought Werner's insanity plea.
Come on, Quincy, you
knew we couldn't prove intent.
That was the crux
of the whole trial.
Good work, Sal. I'm
sorry one of us had to lose.
I didn't lose, counselor.
The people of this state lost.
Oh, come on, Sal,
don't take it so hard.
Oh? And just how
should he take it?
He should take it
for what it really is,
further protection of
our constitutional rights.
- What are you talking about?
- I'm talking about your,
his, my fundamental
constitutional rights,
as spelled out in the
Eighth Amendment.
- Which one the Eighth?
- Protection for the accused
against cruel and
unusual punishment.
What about protection against cruel
and unusual punishment for the victims,
Mr. Childers? What
about their rights?
Doctor Quincy, the boy is insane.
He was not responsible for his actions.
That's the law. And that
law is your protection as well.
Oh, get off it, counselor. That
law stinks, and you know it.
As long as we're
talking about protection,
start thinking about protection
for all us innocent people out there.
I mean, what about the millions of
innocent, law-abiding citizens out there
who don't want some
deranged maniac to come along
and wipe out their children or their
parents or their wives or husbands?
You got a solution,
Sal, I'd be glad to hear it.
I have a solution.
With one stroke of the
Governor's pen, we enact legislation
like they have in Illinois,
Michigan and Indiana.
We change the law from "Not
Guilty by Reason of Insanity"
to "Guilty, but Mentally ill."
That way we send our N.G.I.s
to state mental hospitals,
but when they are cured...
When they are cured, Ms. Childers,
they don't go back
out on the street.
They are sent to prison to serve
out the remainder of their term.
Justice is served,
compassion is served,
but most important, the innocent
people of this state are served.
- I think that law stinks,
Angeletti.
- Why? It makes perfect sense.
It makes sense to send a mentally
ill person up the river for thirty years?
Come on, they're sick.
And you want to punish
them because they're sick.
No, I don't want to punish
them because they're sick.
But I don't want to
reward them either.
They don't know what they're doing! That's
why the law is written the way it is.
Yes! But that law is
inadequate to protect society.
Now, I don't wanna break that
law. I don't wanna break any law.
But I'm gonna do everything
in my power to change it.
If a man's sickness makes him
kill, then he has to be quarantined.
He has to be
taken out of society.
Can you tell me his
victims are any less
dead than victims of
a killer who not N.G.I.?
Why make it easy for any
killer to get out and kill again?
Sane or insane, a
murderer is a murderer
and must be taken out of society
for as long as the court dictates.
You know every six months,
he could demand a trial
to determine whether
or not he's insane.
And if he's declared
sane, he goes free,
because that law would not
allow him to be sentenced.
Well, he must be sentenced.
And if he is ever declared sane,
he must serve the remainder
of that sentence in jail.
That's what the law should be.
Guilty, But Mentally ill, because
that's exactly what Glenn Werner is.
Guilty first,
mentally ill second!
Thank you, Doctor Quincy.
For the ride and
for all your kindness.
- Mrs. Werner, I am truly sorry.
- Yeah.
Everybody's sorry.
Everybody but Glenn.
What are you going to do now?
Sell the house. Change my name.
Move away, away from
my friends and my life.
Mrs. Werner, Glenn may be
put away for years and years.
Or he may be out in
ninety days. Then what?
If I stay here and he gets
out, he will kill me, Doctor.
So help me, I
know he'll kill me.
I don't know what to
say. I feel so helpless.
Thank you.
Ryan and Jeff and Rebecca
were not Glenn's only victims.
I'm his victim, too. My life
is over, he's seen to that.
And there is not one law, one
statute, one... Whatever to protect me.
- I know.
- So I...
Just keep looking over my
shoulder for the rest of my life.
Keep running.
I just have to learn to live with
this knot of fear in my stomach.
I just learn to live with
the fear of falling asleep
and the fear of waking up.
Knowing that he's counting
the days till he can kill me.
- I'll walk you in.
- No.
Thanks.
- I'll keep in touch.
- No, please.
I don't want you or anyone else
connected with Glenn to know where I am.
Please, Doctor Quincy. Please.
But legally he can
get out in ninety days.
Legally, yes.
But we'll fight it.
And how long will that be? Ninety
days, nine months, three years?
Where does that
leave Mrs. Werner?
We'll get an injunction to
keep him away from her.
- If he's even
able to locate her.
- Will it work?
So she's right.
She'll have to look over her
shoulder for the rest of her life.
I agree with you,
Angeletti. That law stinks.
What are you grinning about?
You, me, the two of us.
Here we are, complaining about
the total inadequacy of a law,
yet we'd both fight to the death
to protect the letter of that law.
Couple of real hypocrites, huh?
No, just a couple of optimists
who realize that it's the law that
separates us from the barbarians.
I'll buy to that, Doctor.
Listen, I can't promise, but
as long as I'm prosecutor,
I'll fight like hell to keep that
guy locked up. Now you know that.
But you gotta remember, Quincy,
the final decision is up to the judge.
And he bases that decision on
the testimony of the psychiatrists.
You're going to be assigned
to Section Seven for a while.
I realize that it's the
high security section,
but if you respond to treatment
like you have in the past,
I see no reason why we can't move
you out into the wards in a few weeks.
Thanks, Doc.
- You know I'm
going to do my best.
- I know.
Just behave yourself, listen to
the staff and take your medication.
That's the only thing
I expect of you now.
Anything you say, Doctor Avalar.
I'm really going to try
this time. I really am.
I feel pretty good about
everything right now.
That's good.
And I know I'm going to make it.
In fact, I'm going to get out
of here sooner than you think.
Good.
father, brother and sister.
The boy is sick.
That boy is a
cold-blooded killer.
You know he's
gonna kill me, too.
Glenn is in custody
now. He can't hurt you.
He always gets out.
We have
incontrovertible evidence
that he brutally murdered
three members of his family
and you say he may
not spend a day in jail?
- I did it,
but I'm not responsible.
- That's right.
Sane or insane, a
murderer is a murderer
and he must be taken out of
society for as long as the law dictates!
Gentlemen, you
are about to enter
the most fascinating
sphere of police work,
the world of forensic medicine.
You know the routine.
No, that isn't any
problem. Thank you.
Doctor Shannon
is waiting for her
- in B ward. Just...
- Where is he?
I've already told you,
we're trying to locate him.
Go ahead, we'll catch the
paperwork on your way out.
You gotta tell him he's getting
out again. Did you tell him?
Mr. Werner, there are
a lot of doctors here,
- can't someone else help you?
- No!
No. I gotta see Doctor Avalar.
He here, he's gotta be here.
He back there. He
doesn't want to see me.
Doctor Avalar is not here.
We're trying to locate him.
Now, why don't you
sit back down over there
- and I'll let you know
the minute he arrives.
- No!
I can't. He's getting out again.
- He got to stop him.
- Okay, okay...
Try Doctor Avalar again
- and alert Mr. Blue...
- No. Not Mr. Blue, that security...
They can't stop him,
only Doctor Avalar can.
Why don't you listen?
Nobody ever listens!
All right. All right.
Morning!
Jeff! Rebecca!
Come on, guys. There's
more luggage in the car.
I see no one opened
the mail while I was gone.
Ryan, I don't believe you went to
sleep in front of the television again.
Come on, honey.
Honey, come on.
You're gonna be late...
Ryan...
Ryan!
Oh, my God.
Jeffrey... Rebecca...
Jeff!
Beck... Becky!
Jeffrey!
- I'm all through upstairs,
Doctor Quincy.
- Oh, good. Ed, listen...
- You okay?
- Oh, yeah.
They're not usually
this grisly. I'm fine.
Did you cover the
walls and ceilings?
- Those
splatters are essential.
- Yeah. Got it all.
Why don't you take
pictures of the fireplace?
Looks like someone tried to
burn some clothes in there.
- Okay, I'll get 'em.
- Have you seen Sam around?
No, not in a while.
When Eddie gets
through taking the pictures,
I want you to clean
out the fireplace.
Got anything for us yet, Quince?
Sorry, nothing much until
I get all of this downtown.
Don't apologize.
Just tell me where I can get my
hands on the animals that did this.
Not animals. Animal. It
looks like one person did it all.
- Have you seen Sam?
- He's outside, by the van.
- What he doing there?
- He's just standing there.
Sam, where'd you disappear to? I
could have used a little help with...
- What is it? What happened?
- Nothing. I'm...
Sam? Don't "nothing" me! You
and I have been through too much,
- too long for that.
- I'm sorry, Quince.
You know I never let my
personal life interfere...
Please. No apologies, no
heroics. Now come on. Tell me.
I guess this one just hit
too close to home, Quince.
It's always the other guy. Always
anonymous strangers we work on.
- They're not
strangers this time.
- What do you mean?
I used to work right
next door... There.
Yeah, while I was going through school.
I told you about my crazy Uncle Yoki.
The gardener who was trying
to develop bonsai avocado trees.
Yeah. Uncle Yoki... The Mercers
next door were one of his clients.
I worked that lawn for my uncle
twice a week for... God, three years.
I watched the
Werner kids grow up.
It's different when it happens
to people you know, Quince.
When they're slaughtered like
livestock. Believe me, it's different.
I know. I do know.
Listen, I'll talk to Doctor
Asten. You take some time off.
Thanks, Quince, but no
thanks. I want to do this case.
I think I owe it to them.
All right. Then we'd
better get to work.
We'll do the autopsies
as soon as we get in.
Glenn?
Glenn, are you in there?
Excuse me.
Do you know if he's home?
Glenn! It's me... Doctor Avalar.
Glenn.
Glenn?
It's me, Doctor Avalar.
Glenn, are you all right?
Can you hear me?
Hey, come on. We have to
talk. Yeah, it's me. Come on.
We have to talk.
- You came to
see me last night.
- What?
I said you wanted
to see me last night.
- No. No, I didn't.
- Yes, you did.
- Leave me alone.
- Come on,
swing your feet over.
Come on, get up.
Come on, swing your feet over.
Come on, snap out of it. Hey!
Now listen to me.
You came to the hospital
to see me. I wasn't there.
You told the nurse,
"He's out again."
Remember?
Did he get out, Glenn? Did
the beast get out last night?
- Glenn!
- No...
He...
- I can't remember.
- Try. Try hard.
- I can't remember.
- Come on, now try. Try hard.
Come on. Look.
After you left the
hospital last night,
did you go to your
parents' home?
- Is that where you went?
- No.
Come on, try and remember.
It's important. Please.
I don't know.
I don't remember.
You haven't been taking
your medication, have you?
Have you? Look at that.
You've missed about four days.
Tell me where you went after
you left the hospital last night.
Nowhere.
I was here, wasn't I?
No.
Oh, God.
- You all right, Sam?
- Yeah.
- Let's finish the last one.
- Thanks, Quince. I appreciate it.
- This is Jeff?
- Yeah.
- He was the oldest?
- No. He had an older brother.
I didn't know him, though. He
was always away at private school.
But the kids always
talked about him.
I certainly don't envy his mother having
to call him back from school for this.
You want to give
me the hand lens.
There's some blood wiped on
the skin at the origin of the incision
- just under the right ear.
- Yeah, I see it.
There isn't much doubt about
the order in which they were killed.
The trail of blood was pretty
clear. But we better verify it.
Sam, get a petri dish and get
this blood sample for typing.
- Yeah.
- Make sure he was
the second one killed.
- Damn!
- Sam, you okay?
- Yeah.
- Sam...
Sam, if you lose your objectivity,
it won't help either one of us.
I know. I know. I just...
I can't accept the viciousness,
the senselessness of these murders.
And he, whoever he
is, is out there, free.
While these kids and their
father in their own home.
It's not right.
It's just not right.
Wanna call it a night? We
could start fresh in the morning.
No. Let's finish.
Okay.
All of the incisions look like
they're from the same instrument.
But the direction
of slash on the kids
is right to left instead
of the other way around.
Yeah. Which means your
suspicion is probably right,
they were killed in their sleep.
But all the incisions have these
shallow parallel cuts at the ends.
From an irregular edge on the blade
as it was drawn out of the incision.
It wasn't a straight
edge. Hi, Monahan.
You mean more
like a serrated knife.
Like this?
Yeah, like this.
Where'd you find it?
Same place we found
the kid who used it.
- Who? When?
- About two hours ago.
His psychiatrist surrendered him.
And here one for the books, Quince.
- The killer is Glenn Werner.
- Glenn Werner? No.
Can you beat that?
The kid killed his own
father, brother and sister.
The bodies will be turned over
to the mortuary this afternoon.
I told them...
I told them over and over,
they had to keep him in there,
but no, they kept
letting him out.
- Who did you tell, Mrs. Werner?
- Everyone!
The hospital, the
courts, the psychiatrists...
I told them some day
he's going to kill all of us.
- You knew?
- Of course I knew.
They knew too!
They were supposed to
tell us when he got out.
They were supposed
to call, something.
God, look what he did.
If you knew and they knew,
why wasn't something done?
They kept telling
us he was cured.
But we knew better.
He's disturbed... Deranged.
He's been threatening
to kill us for years.
Doctor, they knew that!
Why didn't they warn
us when he got out?
- They were supposed to!
- I don't know, Mrs. Werner,
but I promise you I'll find out.
Thank you.
- He going to kill me too.
- He in custody now, Mrs. Werner.
- Glenn can't hurt you.
- Don't you understand?
He's going to get out.
He always gets out.
All right, Werner, tell me
about the voices again.
Did you recognize the voice?
We've been over this a
hundred times already.
I don't remember.
But you do remember going
to the hospital last night.
Yes. No. I mean...
Did you go or didn't you go to the
hospital around 11:00 last night?
- Yes, but...
- So you do remember.
No. I told you, Doctor
Avalar told me I was there.
When did you decide
to kill your father?
I told you! I don't know
how many times I told you.
I don't remember
doing it. Maybe I didn't.
Then who killed him?
- Doctor Quincy?
- Yes.
I'm Sal Angeletti. Deputy
DA, Psychiatric Section.
I brought all of the documents
your office requested.
There some photos
showing the mutilations.
Just wanted to warn you.
Why don't you take a look at
the kid while I go over these?
That's his psychiatrist.
Tony Avalar, Marshall
State Hospital.
Doctor Quincy, Medical Examiner.
- He one of yours, huh?
- For the last
couple of years, anyhow.
I told them this
is a waste of time.
Glenn won't remember
a thing, I guarantee it.
You'd be surprised what some of these
guys remember with a little persuasion.
You stay put, Werner,
I'll be right back.
Get out!
Out! Get out!
Get out!
No...
No! Stop it! Please.
- Just leave me alone!
- The medication
is wearing off.
I can't let you
continue doing this.
It's not up to you. His
lawyer gave us full consent.
- The boy is sick!
- The boy is
a cold-blooded killer.
I'm getting nowhere
fast with him.
Concentrate on the
"voices" business.
- Then hit him with
that "beast" angle.
- What "beast"?
That what he
calls his alter ego.
Lieutenant, I've already
told Mr. Angeletti,
his medication is wearing off.
- He doesn't remember a thing.
- Well, maybe we can
prod his memory a bit.
Angeletti, this whole
procedure is absolutely medieval.
Why don't you just bring out the
thumbscrews and the boiling oil?
Those things were only used
when the guy was really crazy.
All right, Werner,
get back at the table.
Is he gone?
He's gone, right?
Yeah. He's gone.
Get back on the chair.
The voice again?
You recognize it?
- Whose voice was it? The beast?
- No.
- Then whose?
- God.
God's voice.
- God talks to you?
- Not me.
To him. To the beast.
God talks to the beast.
And the beast told
you to kill them.
I didn't kill them!
The beast must have killed them.
The beast was out. He got out.
- He must have killed them.
- Why did the beast kill them?
Why?
Don't you understand?
To save them!
Their souls were in jeopardy. He
had to save them before they sinned.
And to save their souls
from eternal damnation.
I don't know why, I
suddenly feel sorry for the kid.
Because he good, that why.
He got his act down pat.
- I'm gonna get
a cup of coffee.
- I'll see you later.
Doctor.
- What are you talking about?
- What do you mean?
That boy is in the grip
of a psychotic episode.
Sure he is.
I haven't seen acting like
that since Olivier's Hamlet.
- Mr. Angeletti,
are you a psychiatrist?
- Nope.
Then you are way out of line.
Read those reports in front of you.
Glenn came to see me
last night before the murders.
He was trying to get
help to stop himself.
- Or was just
setting up a great alibi.
- What?
What time did he
go to the hospital?
- 11:00.
- Are you ever there at 11:00?
No. But what difference
does that make?
It means he knew
you wouldn't be there.
Why didn't he stay
with another doctor?
Because I'm his
doctor and he trusts me.
Yeah. Trusts you not to be
there when he setting up an alibi.
Mr. Angeletti,
I'm just grateful we have laws
in this country to protect the sick.
Because with people like you,
you'd just line them up
against the wall and shoot them.
We'll see what happens in court.
All right, Werner.
Let's start from the beginning.
You really think Werner
was faking the whole thing?
The performance of a lifetime.
I just can't
believe it's an act.
Well, that's my opinion. I think
he's as phony as a three dollar bill.
Even so, it doesn't matter
now. We got him. It's over.
- It's not over. It's just beginning.
- What are you talking about?
We have enough evidence here to
put him away for the rest of his life.
And I've prosecuted
hundreds of cases like this.
With more evidence.
And they still walked away
without a day in prison.
Wait a second.
We have
incontrovertible evidence
that he brutally murdered
three members of his family
and you say he may not
spend a day in prison for it?
- He's as guilty as sin!
- Guilt isn't the issue!
Listen, Doctor Quincy. I'll explain
it to you. This is a bifurcated trial.
Any halfway decent
lawyer will plead him guilty,
so he won't prejudice the court
with the grisly facts of the case.
And a smart lawyer... And
you can bet he'll get one...
He'll get him off on an N.G.I.
Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity.
All right, so even if he's found
Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity,
he'll still be put away in
a state mental hospital.
Oh, yeah. And for
killing three people,
the law even spells out
a minimum commitment.
- What is
the minimum commitment?
- Ninety days.
- He can get out
in ninety days?
- You got it.
- But he killed three people!
- Not in the eyes of the law,
he didn't.
Unless we can prove intent.
That he knew exactly what he
was doing at the time of the killings.
Look, Doctor Quincy, the Drew decision
in California spells it out nice and neat.
The law says, and I quote,
"A person is not responsible
for criminal conduct
"if at the time of such conduct,
"as a result of mental
disease or defect,
"he lacks substantial capacity
"either to appreciate the
criminality of his conduct
"or to conform his conduct
to the requirements of law."
Period.
- And Werner's act
certainly qualifies him.
- But the law is so vague.
It can apply to just about anyone
who commits a violent crime.
Tell me.
- Here you are, gentlemen.
- Oh, thanks.
I'm sorry, Quince,
I just can't buy it.
Not after killing the Werners.
They were just too good, too decent.
I know how you feel, Sam,
but Glenn's lawyer did exactly
what Angeletti said he would.
He pled guilty and
waived a jury trial.
Okay, so he pled guilty at
the first phase of the trial.
- Now what?
- It's called
a bifurcated trial.
First they try guilt or innocence,
which he pleads guilty to.
Then they try sanity.
Both sides present their
psychiatric testimony to the judge
and he alone decides if
Glenn was sane or insane
at the time he
committed the murders.
Well, obviously, anyone
who cuts the throats
of three members
of his family is insane.
Their point exactly.
No. That's not right.
It's just too easy.
Sam, I agree with
you. But that's the law.
And the law says this
homicidal manic can be out,
walking around as a
free man in ninety days?
That's the minimum. The
average commitment is three years.
Three years for three
murders. And then what?
He gets out and
kills three more?
Excuse me, Quincy. I couldn't
help but overhear this conversation.
Are you guys saying that Glenn
Werner is gonna get off scot-free?
It sure looks that way.
Kid's got a smart lawyer.
An N.G.I.'s easy to cop.
What do you know about it?
What do you guys do? Just
read the medical journals?
Read the newspapers once in a while.
Find out what going on in the world.
A couple of years ago, there
was a con back in Illinois,
he practically wrote a
book on coppin' an N.G.I.
- Are you serious?
- Would this face lie?
He wrote a manual on
how to get off on insanity.
Just keep acting crazy. Tell the
shrinks you hear all these voices,
wet your pants during
the psychiatric interviews.
Do indecent things
in front of the shrinks.
Confess to every crime,
invent a few. Things like that.
- And it worked?
- Worked for him.
That is, until the screws
found the papers he wrote.
Angeletti thinks he is faking it. He said
he was as phony as a three dollar bill.
But Quincy, you saw the boy.
According to the doctor,
Werner is a delusional.
A paranoid schizophrenic.
You can't fake that.
I can't, and you can't,
but maybe he can.
Just maybe he can.
You'd like some coffee, doctor?
- No, thank you.
As you can see in Werner's file,
he was arrested two years
ago for assaulting his father.
- With an axe.
- With an axe.
He was tried as a juvenile, found guilty
and sent to the California Youth Authority.
Then based on his previous
history and his delusional behavior,
the C.Y.A. turned him
over to us for treatment.
Doctor Avalar, do you
believe his "beast" story?
Do I believe it? No.
There really no such thing as
a so-called "split personality".
It's fiction, it's a myth.
So you think he was faking
that whole "beast" business.
No, I didn't say that.
The "beast" construct
was convenient for him.
It helped him accept all the
evil he was responsible for.
It let him get away with a lot.
- So really,
he knew what he was doing?
- On one level,
the subconscious level, yes, he
knew. But on the conscious level, no.
I think my diagnosis there
is very accurate, Doctor.
Glenn Werner was... No, he
is a paranoid schizophrenic.
But if he knew what he was
doing, even on a subconscious level,
- couldn't he be
faking the rest?
- Of course. But to what end?
To escape responsibility for
killing three decent, innocent people.
You have to admit,
talking about the beast,
claiming to hear voices... It's a
perfect alibi for an insanity plea.
Let me ask you
something, Doctor.
Here a boy who has spent close
to half his life in mental institutions.
Now take a look
around. He's behind bars,
incarcerated for all
intents and purposes.
He's in jail!
Would a sane person fake
insanity to get in here? Locked up?
But the point is, he doesn't
stay in. He keeps getting out.
And what happens if the
judge buys his N.G.I. plea?
Sure he gets locked up
here. But for how long?
How long before he's out on the street
again? How long before he kills again?
Tell me the truth. Can you
really cure schizophrenia?
Actually, we don't cure the
illness, we alleviate the symptoms.
The new psychotropic
drugs we use are amazing.
So Glenn Werner wasn't really cured
when the court released him six weeks ago.
His illness was benign just as
long as he took his medication.
And hopefully his psychotherapy
would provide an ultimate cure.
Well, it looks like
it didn't, Doctor.
Doctor Quincy, there is absolutely nothing
in the law to provide for a free man,
insane as he may be, to
be forced to take medication.
- It's unconstitutional.
- So is killing
three innocent people.
It's the most
unconstitutional thing of all.
Thank you for your time.
- Would you like some coffee?
- Yes, I would. Thank you.
I'm still not sure what you
expected to find, Doctor Quincy.
Glenn hasn't lived
here for years.
I'm not sure
either, Mrs. Werner.
Something, anything
that would help us prove
that Glenn was sane at the
time he attacked on your family.
- Could a sane
person do what he did?
- No. I don't think so.
But the medical
definition of sanity
is a lot different than the
legal definition of sanity.
All we have to prove is that Glenn knew
what he was doing when he killed them.
He always knew what he was
doing, that's the insidious part.
Even when he was a child, he...
It's strange how a mother always
thinks the best of their children.
Even a child like Glenn.
We just felt he was disturbed.
I mean, mental illness
is still an illness, isn't it?
Yes, it is.
And no one has been
able to tell me why
his behavior became
more and more violent.
- Would you
rather not continue?
- No, no, I...
I need to talk this out.
Some of the neighborhood
children were having a campout
in a backyard down the
block. Glenn wasn't invited
and I guess he felt rejected.
He put some lawn furniture in
front of the entrance to the tent
and he set the tent on fire.
- Were any of
the children hurt?
- Thank God, none seriously.
But we kept Glenn at the
hospital for over a year.
Then it was just in and out of
trouble, in and out of hospitals.
And he was put in
Marshall State Hospital
after he attacked your
husband with an axe.
He and Ryan had a stupid fight.
I think it was the car or
curfew or something like that.
Glenn got an axe
from the tool shed
and Ryan was in the
hospital for six weeks.
And that's when Glenn
threatened to kill all of you.
Yes.
I think I wish he had.
I'm going to meet Mr. Angeletti
at Glenn's hotel room.
If I find anything, anything
at all, I'll let you know.
Thanks. You've been more
help already than you know.
- Doctor Quincy?
- What is it?
It's from Glenn.
Postmarked yesterday.
- Oh, my God.
- Mrs. Werner, what does it say?
"It's lucky you weren't
home that night.
"I've got you to thank for putting
me here. You're responsible.
"I know I'll be out soon and I'm going
to be able to thank you personally.
"I can't wait until
that day comes.
"Nothing will make
me happier. Glenn."
He's going to do it!
He's going to get
out and kill me too!
Quincy, I'm telling you,
we're doing everything legally
and humanly possible to prove
him sane. It's just not that easy.
Sal, look at these.
"Freud and His Times"
"Abnormal Psychology."
Very interesting.
- "Very interesting." That all you can say?
- How about useless?
Hey...
- Sal.
- What?
Look at the sections
Glenn underlined.
"The affective schizophrenic
often discerns extraneous voices,
"usually that of God,
Christ or the Apostles,
"and patterns his behavior to the
commands or suggestions of these voices."
There, it's obvious. Glenn
studied his part. He's an expert.
These books taught him what to
say, how to act, exactly how to fake it.
Or, as the defense will
argue, here is a sick boy,
trying desperately to understand
his illness, trying to get a handle on it.
Pouring over textbooks.
It's no good, Quincy.
What about the threatening
letter he wrote his mother?
- Useless.
- Again, useless.
That letter is a
blatant threat to kill her.
When you read it, it's a threat.
But it can also be read this way.
"It's lucky you weren't
home that night."
He thankful she wasn't
around when he lost control.
"I've got you to thank for putting
me here. You're responsible."
Here he's again thankful
that she understands
his problem and
wants him to get help.
"I know I'll be out soon and I'll
be able to thank you personally.
"I can't wait until that day comes.
Nothing will make me happier."
An expression of hope that
he will soon be cured and out,
able to reestablish a relationship
like a normal mother and son.
But that's not what
the letter means!
Not to you, maybe. And
certainly not to Mrs. Werner.
But to the court...
Why not?
I've increased the
dosage slightly.
You'll probably be a little drowsier
and your mouth will be a lot drier.
- Sorry.
- I couldn't care less.
I hope to hell they send
me to the gas chamber.
- That's where I belong.
- Well,
I got news for you, Glenn.
It doesn't look like
that's going to happen.
I think you're going to be
back with us for a while.
No. Not after what I did.
I don't deserve it. I
don't deserve to live.
Doc, I want you
to fix it for me.
- What do you mean?
- I want you to tell
the judge they gotta kill me.
- Why?
- After what I did?
My own father?
Jeff...
My little sister?
You gotta ask why?
Glenn, tell me the truth.
We have a doctor-patient
confidentiality.
What you tell me goes
no further than my ears.
Look at me, son.
When you killed them,
- did you know
what you were doing?
- Of course not!
Would...
Could anyone do
something like that
if they knew what
they were doing?
The law understands that, Glenn.
See,
the law says you're not
responsible for a criminal act
if you lacked the mental
ability to form intent.
Since you didn't know
what you were doing,
you couldn't possibly have
formed the intent to do it.
- Do you understand?
- Yeah.
- I did it,
but I'm not responsible.
- That's right.
You tell me, Doc,
how do I explain that
to my brother
and my sister?
How do I explain it to them?
Mr. Angeletti, do the people have any
further arguments before my decision?
No, Your Honor.
Mr. Childers. Does the defense have
any further arguments before my decision?
- No, Your Honor, we don't.
- All right then.
Glenn Ryan Werner,
information number 683832,
which charged you with three
counts of murder in the first degree,
a violation of section
187 of the penal code.
You have previously entered
a plea of guilty to those counts,
- is that correct?
- It is, Your Honor.
Having previously pled guilty to three
counts of murder in the first degree,
in violation of section
187 of the penal code,
and this court sitting without a
jury, having heard all the evidence
from both sides on the issue of
insanity has reached a decision.
Now, before my decision
is read, let me first say
that this court has been presented
with a particularly difficult decision.
I have reviewed all of
the testimony entered
with emphasis placed on
the psychiatric testimony
entered by both
sides of the bar.
In analyzing this testimony
and the defendant's previous record
as submitted by defense counsel,
this court finds the
defendant, Glenn Ryan Werner,
not guilty by reason of insanity to the
charges of murder in the first degree,
counts one, two and three.
It is therefore the opinion
and judgment of this court
that the defendant, Glenn Ryan
Werner, in accordance with Title 15,
be remanded to the California
Department of Mental Health
and be placed in
the care and custody
of the Los Angeles County
Department of Mental Health,
who, within fifteen
days, will submit
to this court, their
recommendations
as to the proper commitment or treatment
of the defendant, Glenn Ryan Werner.
Court will stand adjourned.
I just can't believe it. He
bought Werner's insanity plea.
Come on, Quincy, you
knew we couldn't prove intent.
That was the crux
of the whole trial.
Good work, Sal. I'm
sorry one of us had to lose.
I didn't lose, counselor.
The people of this state lost.
Oh, come on, Sal,
don't take it so hard.
Oh? And just how
should he take it?
He should take it
for what it really is,
further protection of
our constitutional rights.
- What are you talking about?
- I'm talking about your,
his, my fundamental
constitutional rights,
as spelled out in the
Eighth Amendment.
- Which one the Eighth?
- Protection for the accused
against cruel and
unusual punishment.
What about protection against cruel
and unusual punishment for the victims,
Mr. Childers? What
about their rights?
Doctor Quincy, the boy is insane.
He was not responsible for his actions.
That's the law. And that
law is your protection as well.
Oh, get off it, counselor. That
law stinks, and you know it.
As long as we're
talking about protection,
start thinking about protection
for all us innocent people out there.
I mean, what about the millions of
innocent, law-abiding citizens out there
who don't want some
deranged maniac to come along
and wipe out their children or their
parents or their wives or husbands?
You got a solution,
Sal, I'd be glad to hear it.
I have a solution.
With one stroke of the
Governor's pen, we enact legislation
like they have in Illinois,
Michigan and Indiana.
We change the law from "Not
Guilty by Reason of Insanity"
to "Guilty, but Mentally ill."
That way we send our N.G.I.s
to state mental hospitals,
but when they are cured...
When they are cured, Ms. Childers,
they don't go back
out on the street.
They are sent to prison to serve
out the remainder of their term.
Justice is served,
compassion is served,
but most important, the innocent
people of this state are served.
- I think that law stinks,
Angeletti.
- Why? It makes perfect sense.
It makes sense to send a mentally
ill person up the river for thirty years?
Come on, they're sick.
And you want to punish
them because they're sick.
No, I don't want to punish
them because they're sick.
But I don't want to
reward them either.
They don't know what they're doing! That's
why the law is written the way it is.
Yes! But that law is
inadequate to protect society.
Now, I don't wanna break that
law. I don't wanna break any law.
But I'm gonna do everything
in my power to change it.
If a man's sickness makes him
kill, then he has to be quarantined.
He has to be
taken out of society.
Can you tell me his
victims are any less
dead than victims of
a killer who not N.G.I.?
Why make it easy for any
killer to get out and kill again?
Sane or insane, a
murderer is a murderer
and must be taken out of society
for as long as the court dictates.
You know every six months,
he could demand a trial
to determine whether
or not he's insane.
And if he's declared
sane, he goes free,
because that law would not
allow him to be sentenced.
Well, he must be sentenced.
And if he is ever declared sane,
he must serve the remainder
of that sentence in jail.
That's what the law should be.
Guilty, But Mentally ill, because
that's exactly what Glenn Werner is.
Guilty first,
mentally ill second!
Thank you, Doctor Quincy.
For the ride and
for all your kindness.
- Mrs. Werner, I am truly sorry.
- Yeah.
Everybody's sorry.
Everybody but Glenn.
What are you going to do now?
Sell the house. Change my name.
Move away, away from
my friends and my life.
Mrs. Werner, Glenn may be
put away for years and years.
Or he may be out in
ninety days. Then what?
If I stay here and he gets
out, he will kill me, Doctor.
So help me, I
know he'll kill me.
I don't know what to
say. I feel so helpless.
Thank you.
Ryan and Jeff and Rebecca
were not Glenn's only victims.
I'm his victim, too. My life
is over, he's seen to that.
And there is not one law, one
statute, one... Whatever to protect me.
- I know.
- So I...
Just keep looking over my
shoulder for the rest of my life.
Keep running.
I just have to learn to live with
this knot of fear in my stomach.
I just learn to live with
the fear of falling asleep
and the fear of waking up.
Knowing that he's counting
the days till he can kill me.
- I'll walk you in.
- No.
Thanks.
- I'll keep in touch.
- No, please.
I don't want you or anyone else
connected with Glenn to know where I am.
Please, Doctor Quincy. Please.
But legally he can
get out in ninety days.
Legally, yes.
But we'll fight it.
And how long will that be? Ninety
days, nine months, three years?
Where does that
leave Mrs. Werner?
We'll get an injunction to
keep him away from her.
- If he's even
able to locate her.
- Will it work?
So she's right.
She'll have to look over her
shoulder for the rest of her life.
I agree with you,
Angeletti. That law stinks.
What are you grinning about?
You, me, the two of us.
Here we are, complaining about
the total inadequacy of a law,
yet we'd both fight to the death
to protect the letter of that law.
Couple of real hypocrites, huh?
No, just a couple of optimists
who realize that it's the law that
separates us from the barbarians.
I'll buy to that, Doctor.
Listen, I can't promise, but
as long as I'm prosecutor,
I'll fight like hell to keep that
guy locked up. Now you know that.
But you gotta remember, Quincy,
the final decision is up to the judge.
And he bases that decision on
the testimony of the psychiatrists.
You're going to be assigned
to Section Seven for a while.
I realize that it's the
high security section,
but if you respond to treatment
like you have in the past,
I see no reason why we can't move
you out into the wards in a few weeks.
Thanks, Doc.
- You know I'm
going to do my best.
- I know.
Just behave yourself, listen to
the staff and take your medication.
That's the only thing
I expect of you now.
Anything you say, Doctor Avalar.
I'm really going to try
this time. I really am.
I feel pretty good about
everything right now.
That's good.
And I know I'm going to make it.
In fact, I'm going to get out
of here sooner than you think.
Good.