People v. Woody

This case involves a determination of rights of a defendant in a criminal prosecution in which a notice of the defense of not guilty by reason of insanity was interposed and the defendant did not take the witness stand.

Appellant states the sole question to be whether it was error to permit the prosecuting attorney to examine certain psychiatrists as to the accused’s alleged past antisocial and pathological behavior and prior felony convictions under the circumstances above set forth.

Defendant-appellant was charged with first-degree murder. He was alleged to have killed his wife. Upon his…