State v. Edmon

John Henry Edmon appeals a judgment and sentence entered upon conviction by a jury of second degree assault while armed with a deadly weapon and a firearm. The primary issue is whether the trial court erred when it excluded most of the psychiatric testimony offered by the defense. We reverse the judgment because the evidence was admissible and its exclusion denied Edmon a fair trial.

The defendant, a 44-year-old black man, was hired by Bethlehem Steel Corporation in 1978 through what he believed was an affirmative action program. He had unsuccessfully sought employment there for several years…