〃I received my bachelor's degree from Millsaps College in 1956； and received my M。D。； or Doctor of Medicine； from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas； Texas； in 1960。〃
〃Is that an accredited medical school？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃By whom？〃
〃By the Council of Medical Education and Hospitals of the American Medical Association； the recognized accrediting agency of our profession； and by the educational authority of the State of Texas。〃
Bass relaxed a bit； uncrossed and recrossed his legs； and displayed his left boot。 He rocked gently and turned the fortable swivel chair partially toward the jury。
〃Where did you intern and for how long？〃
〃After graduation from medical school； I spent twelve months as an intern at the Rocky Mountain Medical Center in Denver。〃
〃What is your medical specialty？〃
〃Psychiatry。〃
〃Explain to us what that means。〃
〃Psychiatry is that branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of disorders of the mind。 It usually； but not always； deals with mental malfunction； the organic basis of which is unknown。〃
Jake breathed for the first time since Bass took the stand。 His man was sounding good。
〃Now； Doctor；〃 he said as he casually walked to within
a foot of the jury box； 〃describe to the jury the specialized training you received in the field of psychiatry。〃
〃My specialized training in psychiatry consisted of two years as a resident in psychiatry at the Texas State Mental Hospital； an approved training center。 I engaged in clinical work with psychoneurotic and psychotic patients。 I studied psychology； psychopathology； psychotherapy； and the physiological therapies。 This training； supervised by petent psychiatric teachers； included instruction in the psychiatric aspects of general medicine； the behavior aspects of children； adolescents； and adults。〃
It was doubtful if a single person in the courtroom prehended any of what Bass had just said； but it came from the mouth of a man who suddenly appeared to be a genius； an expert； for he had to be a man of great wisdom and intelligence to pronounce those words。 With the bow tie and vocabulary； and in spite of the boots； Bass was gaining credibility with each answer。
〃Are you a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry？〃
〃Of course；〃 he answered confidently。
〃In which branch are you certified？〃
〃I am certified in psychiatry。〃
〃And when were you certified？〃
〃April of 1967。〃
〃What does it take to bee certified by the American Board of Psychiatry？〃
〃A candidate must pass oral and practical exams； as well as a written test at the direction of the Board。〃
Jake glanced at his notes and noticed Musgrove winking at Buckley。
〃Doctor； do you belong to any professional groups？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Name them please。〃
〃I am a member of the American Medical Association； American Psychiatric Association； and the Mississippi Medical Association。〃
〃How long have you been engaged in the practice of psychiatry？〃
〃Twenty…two years。〃
Jake walked three steps in the direction ot me oencn and eyed Noose； who was watching intently。
〃Your Honor； the defense offers Dr。 Bass as an expert in the field of psychiatry。〃
〃Very well；〃 replied Noose。 〃Do you wish to examine this witness； Mr。 Buckley？〃
The D。A。 stood with his legal pad。 〃Yes； Your Honor； just a few questions。〃
Surprised but not worried； Jake took his seat next to Carl Lee。 Ellen was still not in the courtroom。
〃Dr。 Bass； in your opinion； are you an expert in the field of psychiatry？〃 asked Buckley。
〃Yes。〃
〃Have you ever taught psychiatry？〃
〃No。〃
〃Have you ever published any articles on psychiatry？〃
〃No。〃
〃Have you ever published any books on psychiatry？〃
〃No。〃
〃Now； I believe you testified that you are a member of the A。M。A。； M。M。A。； and the American Psychiatric Association？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Have you ever served as an officer in any of these organizations？〃
〃No。〃
〃What hospital positions do you currently hold； as of today？〃
〃None。〃
〃Has your experience in psychiatry included any work under the auspices of the federal government or any state government？〃
〃No。〃
The arrogance was beginning to fade from his face； and the confidence from his voice。 He shot a glance at Jake； who was digging through a file。
〃Dr。 Bass； are you now engaged in the practice of psychiatry full…time？〃
The expert hesitated； and looked briefly at Lucien on the second row。 〃I see patients on a regular basis。〃
〃How many patients and how regular？〃 Buckley retorted with an enormous air of confidence。
〃I see from five to ten patients per week。〃
〃One or two a day？〃
〃Something like that。〃
〃And you consider that a full…time practice？〃
〃I'm as busy as I want to be。〃
Buckley threw his legal pad on the table and looked at Noose。 〃Your Honor； the State objects to this man testifying as an expert in the field of psychiatry。 It's obvious he's not qualified。〃
Jake was on his feet with his mouth open。
〃Overruled； Mr。 Buckley。 You may proceed； Mr。 Bri…gance。〃
Jake gathered his legal pads and returned to the podium； well aware of the suspicion the D。A。 had just artfully thrown over his star witness。 Bass shifted boots。
〃Now； Dr。 Bass； have you examined the defendant； Carl Lee…Hailey？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃How many times？〃
〃Three。〃
〃When was your first examination？〃
〃June 10。〃
〃What was the purpose of this examination？〃
〃I examined him to determine his current mental condition as well as his condition on May 20； when he allegedly shot Mr。 Cobb and Mr。 Willard。〃
〃Where did this examination take place？〃
〃Ford County Jail。〃
〃Did you conduct this examination alone？〃
〃Yes。 Just Mr。 Hailey and myself。〃
〃How long did the examination last？〃
〃Three hours。〃
〃Did you review his medical history？〃
〃In a roundabout way； you could say。 We talked at great length about his past。〃
〃What did you learn？〃
〃Nothing remarkable； except for Vietnam。〃
〃What about Vietnam？〃
Bass folded his hands over his slightly overweight stom…
ach and frowned intelligently at the defense attorney。 Well； Mr。 Brigance； like many Vietnam vets I've worked with； Mr。 Hailey had some rather horrible experiences over there。〃
War is hell； thought Carl Lee。 He listened intently。 Now； Vietnam was bad。 He'd been shot。 He'd lost friends。 He'd killed people； many people。 He'd killed children； Vietnamese children carrying guns and grenades。 It was bad。 He wished he'd never seen the place。 He dreamed about it； had flashbacks and nightmares occasionally。 But he didn't feel warped or insane because of it。 He didn't feel warped or insane because of Cobb and Willard。 In fact； he felt quite satisfied because they were dead。 Just like those in Vietnam。
He had explained all this to Bass once at the jail； and Bass had seemed unimpressed by it。 And they had talked only twice； and never more than an hour。
Carl Lee eyed the jury and listened suspiciously to the expert； who talked at length of Carl Lee's dreadful experiences in the war。 Bass's vocabulary jumped several octaves as he explained to the laymen in nonlaymen terms the ef： fects of Vietnam on Carl Lee。 It sounded good。 There had been nightmares over the years； dreams Carl Lee had never worried much about； but to hear Bass explain it； were extremely significant events。
〃Did he talk freely of Vietnam？〃
〃Not really；〃 replied Bass； then explaining in great detail the tremendous task he confronted in dragging out the war from this plex； burdened； probably unstable mind。 Carl Lee didn't remember it that way。 But he dutifully listened with a pained expression； wondering for the first time in his life if perhaps he could be a little off。
After an hour； the war had been refought and its effects flogged thoroughly。 Jake decided to move on。
〃Now； Dr。 Bass；〃 Jake said； scratching his head。 〃Other than Vietnam； what other significant events did you note regarding his mental history？〃
〃None； except the rape of his daughter。〃
〃Did you discuss the rape with Carl Lee？〃
〃At great length； during each of the three examinations。〃
〃Explain to the jury what the rape did to Carl Lee Hailey。〃
Bass stroked his chin and looked perplexed。 〃Quite frankly； Mr。 Brig