Aetna Life Insurance Company v. Dowdle

I agree with the majority as to the holding with regard to the first proposition, but' respectfully disagree with the majority on the point that the trial court committed reversible error in refusing to permit Bagley to testify about the “agreement” he had made with the District Attorney about pleading guilty to manslaughter in the second degree.

The general rule is well settled that mental status is not the subject of direct testimony, to which, of course, there is an exception, the exception being that when the witness has admitted on cross-examination certain statements which tend to…