The Hypothetical Question
Central to Paul Biegler's defense of Lieutenant Manion is the need to establish that Manion was temporarily insane when he shot Barney Quill. Biegler does this by reading a detailed hypothetical question to the Army psychiatrist and then questioning the psychiatrist as to his opinions based on the hypothetical question.
Hypothetical questions are difficult to construct as they must present the established facts of the case and yet be sufficiently removed to allow for a range of opinions. Rather than writing a new question, Voelker solved his dilemma by lifting the question from the trial transcript.
Click on the manuscript buttons to the left to view the the hypothetical question manuscripts.
