In 1867, a gruesome murder stunned Philadelphia. The suspect, George Winnemore, a
spiritualist with epilepsy and depression, knew the victim, a 63-year-old woman.
With little time to prepare, his counsel claimed Winnemore did not commit the
act; but if he did, he was insane, the product of chronic epilepsy. The trial,
conviction and sentencing were swift, and Winnemore found himself on death row.
There was little cogent expert testimony connecting Winnemore's medical
condition to his behavior. Dr. Isaac Ray, the founder of American forensic
psychiatry, became involved shortly before the scheduled execution. After
examining the prisoner he petitioned the governor for a stay pending a complete
medical examination—but to no avail. In this article, we see Ray's analysis of
the case alongside newspaper accounts of the trial and the bizarre writings of
the defendant from prison. The author reviews the history of the
epilepsy-homicide connection from the nineteenth century to date and then
underscores Ray's valuable advice in evaluating complex cases. Though little was
known about the pathophysiology of epilepsy in Ray's time, it was clear to him
that competent medical testimony was indicated in the Winnemore case, at least
to mitigate the sentence.
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