Defence Of Insanity At Brothers’ Trial

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29237, 22 June 1960, Page 16

Defence Of Insanity At Brothers’ Trial

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 21.

Evidence would be led to show that Robert Edward Bridge, aged 16, was a schizophrenic, and the only thing the jury had to find was whether he was a killer or was insane, said Mr L. P. Leary, Q.C., in the Supreme Court at Auckland today. Mr Leary was opening the case for the defence at the trial of Robert Edward Bridge and his brother, Trevor John Bridge, aged 12, who are both charged with the murder of their sisters, Carolyn Joyce Bridge, aged six, and Valerie Juliet Bridge, aged two, at their home at Waipipi, near Waiuku, on the night of April 11.

The hearing is before Mr Justice Turner and a jury. The case for the Crown.is being conducted by Mr G. D. Speight, with him Mr D. Morris. Mr Leary, with him Mr R. D. G. Burt, is appearing for Robert Bridge. Mr R, K. Davison represents Trevor Bridge.

The first Crown witness today. Constable Harold Brown, of Papakura, said that when he approached the boys on the main street of Papakura on April 12, they made no attempt to escape. The boys each gave their names and said they were on their way to get a taxi to take them to the Auckland Central Police Station. He told them to come to the Papakura station and he would get in touch with the Auckland police. “They came willingly and after I had telephoned the Auckland station, I made them a cup of tea while we waited for the arrival of detectives.” The witness said the boys’ manner was quite normal. “We discussed football and fishing together,” he said. “They were just normal boys.” Mr Davidson: Did either of them take a lead in answering questions? The witness: The elder boy took the lead. Alexander Reid, a farmer, of Waiuku, said that his property was on an inlet almost opposite the Bridge household. On the evening of the tragedy he was at home and went outside about 8.45 p.m. He heard about six shots from a .22 rifle. There was a burst of about three shots, then another three shots at intervals. He said that he now knew the shots came from the Bridge property, but at the time he thought it was somebody shooting opossums in a nearby pine plantation. Jack Noel Knight, a carrier, of Waiuku, said that about 4.25 a.m., on April 12, he was stopped while on his way to Auckland at a police road block and was warned to watch for the missing boys.

Two to three miles on the western side of Papakura he saw the two boys walking along the road. He asked them where they were going and they replied they were on their way to see friends in Papakura and were then off to the Easter Show.

"Both Appear Normal” Both boys appeared normal and he drove them into the main street of Papakura. After letting them out, he spoke to Constable Brown and pointed out the two lads. To Mr Burt, the witness said the older boy, Robert, showed no emotion. He told Mr Davison that Robert did most of the talking. Francis John Cairns, a pathologist, of Auckland, said that there were three gunshot wounds in the head of the elder girl, Carolyn, and one in Valerie's head. He estimated that the deaths occurred between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Detective - Inspector William Mark Holmes, of Auckland, said that Trevor’s manner when interviewed and when his first statement was taken was "co-opera-tive and friendly.” “When the deaths of his sisters were mentioned he was inclined to be tearful,” said the witness. “But there was no indication in his manner of his being frightened and cowardly.” The witness produced Trevor’s first statement, which was read at the Magistrate’s Court hearing.

Detective-Sergeant R. J. Walton said he interviewed Robert at the Papakura police statibn on the morning of April 12. Robert’s manner was quite normal, although on one or two occasions he broke down ano cried. "To me he appeared to be very repentant,” the witness said. When he asked Robert for an explanation of events at his home, Robert again broke down and cried that “he didn’t want to go to Court, but wanted to plead guilty." He told the boy that was not possible. He then read to the Court the statement by Robert produced in the lower Court, as well, as the second statement made by Trevor. The witness said that Trevor cried a little when giving his second statement. , Trevor never intimated that he had been frightened or intimidated by his elder brother. Talks with Trevor Kenneth Robert Stallworthy, medical superintendent of the Tokanui Mental Hospital, said he had had specific discussions with Trevor as to his knowledge of wrongful'ess. “He told me he realised it was a sin and a crime and a horrible thing to do what had happened, and he was very much against it,” said the witness. "From all these considerations 1 arrived at an opinion that, in spite of his age, he knew very well the wrongfulness of killing another person.” Cross-examined by Mr Davison, the witness said his interviews with Trevor led him to believe the boy had been concerned about the proposed killing of the father. He concluded that Trevor wanted nothing to happen to his father. “He said it was not until 10 minutes before the killings that he realised Robert was serious. He told me: ‘I was hang-of-a-scared that it I didn’t join in Robert would kill me, too.’ ” The witness said that Trevor was very much afraid at the time—“and there is nothing to make me disbelieve this.” This concluded the case for the Crown.

“I suppose this is one of the L most pathetic cases ever heard L S, ffl*. Court,** said Mr Leary ■L. Moi*? lS ” J >oy who , was up In the belief. “•* kai - That he'should

do this thing to his sisters is completely incomprehensible.” The usual ingredients of mur-der-hate, jealousy, misplaced love, greed, or revenge—were not present, he said. “You cannot judge on appearances alone in the dock. There is no doubt he killed his sisters, but you must decide whether he is a callous killer or whether or not there is something wrong with his mind,” Mr Leary said. Mr Leary •submitted that Robert Bridge was a schizophrenic who mixed fantasy with reality. Fantasy became more fixed in his mind in latter months. He said there were two Robert Bridges—one the father knew and the one of Robert’s own imagination. Defence Evidence

The first witness for the defence was Harold Raymond Barribal, a farmer, of Waiuku. His son. he said, had worked for Dudley Robert Bridge, the father of the accused, for 18 months or two years. “I frequently visited the Bridge home and considered it a happy one,” said the witness. “Robert always appeared to be a normal boy, a little shy, but I did not see any cruel streak in him.” Dr. L. I. Shenken, a psychiatrist, of Auckland, said he had seen Robert Bridge three times, and had read much of the material in the books produced during the trial and alleged to have been written by Robert Bridge. Although not present in the court at the first day of the trial he had also read the evidence of Dudley Bridge in respect of his son Robert’s behaviour. He had also read the statements given by Robert Bridge to the police. “I am convinced from the evidence that at the time of the shooting Robert Bridge was suffering from a schizophrenic episode, and at the time did not know that what he was doing was wrong,” said the witness. The witness said that that also included being legally wrong.

Mr Leary: How would you define schizophrenia in a popular way? The witness: One could say it is a disorderly function of thinking and of living. For instance, a schizophrenic could be a person who was laughing when he should be sorry.

Mr Leary: That, of course, is a very simple case. The witness: I agree. The witness then added that in the schizophrenic the difference between the real and the fantastic world was Impaired, and such a state often occurred at the age of adolescence. A large proportion of cases occurred at puberty.

"Fantasy Becomes Reality.” It was known that an unfortunate love affair might precipitate schizophrenia. In a schizophrenic episode the patient would have no knowledge of reality as a normal person had. His life of fantasy became a reality, even though it might be false reality. Mr Leary: Presuming a schizophrenic episode should arise, is there anything a doctor can tell us of its symptoms? The witness: Yes. A certain amount of withdrawal and illogical thinking. An example of illogical thinking is of a person thinking he had a million pounds and didn’t, and living the life of a millionaire accordingly. The witness added that while a person was in a state of fantasy he would tend to act it out. and that could lead to an antisocial act. Robert Bridge had an easy, relaxed, cheerful, frank, and co-operative manner. No mental defect was immediately discernable. "He told me he was quite happy in prison,” said the witness. ,r People treated him nicely, and he would rather be in prison than at home. He said he was studying for his school certificate. “It would appear that he was withdrawn to the extent that the tragedy did not affect him. “Robert said he and his brother had discussed killing their father with no serious thought of doine it. He said something happened to him, and he could not help himself.”

The witness said that Robert’s emotional depth was severely impaired. and was in keeping with a schizophrenic. , "Robert said his father had been hard on him and was sarcastic.” the witness said. “He said that was why he wanted to kill his father. That seemed a grotesque reasoning. It would make the idea of killing the father more unreasonable.” The trial was adjourned until tomorrow.