Truth in Advertising for Psychobabble Testimony
dbakken@bbn.com
(chuckle, true)
From the rec.humor.funny joke archives.
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From the 1/26/96 editorial page of the Manchester Union Leader,
with credits to the Western Journalism Center:
In the New Mexico Legislature's 1995 session, Sen.
Duncan Scott, a Republican from Albuquerque, proposed an amendment
to a psychologist regulatory bill offered by another senator.
The Scott amendment would have dramatically changed the face
of New Mexico's legal system:
The amendment said: ``When a psychologist or psychiatrist testifies
during a defendant's competentcy hearing, the psychologist or
psychiatrist shall wear a cone-shaped hat that is not less than
two feet tall. The surface of the hat shall be imprinted
with stars and lightning bolts.
``Additionally, a psychologist or psychiatrist shall be required
to don a white beard that is not less than 18 inches in length,
and shall punctuate crucial elements of his testimony by
stabbing the air with a wand. Whenever a psychologist or
psychiatrist provides expert testimony regarding a defendant's
competentcy, the baliff shall contemporaneously dim the
courtroom lights and administer two strikes to a Chinese gong.''
The bill, with the wizard amendment, passed the Senate by
voice vote and cleared the House 46-14. Unfortunately,
Gov. Gary Johnson vetoed the legislation.
[Note - reprinted by permission of the Manchester Union Leader and the
Western Journalism Center. My thanks to them and to Dave Bakken
for obtaining permission - ed]
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