Marshall A. Contee v. United States

BAZELON, Chief Judge:

Appellant murdered his wife with an ax in their bedroom during the night and turned himself in to the police. His principal defense at trial was insanity, *250though he also denied premeditation. On this appeal from his conviction for murder in the first degree, he contends that the trial court erred in benying his request for bifurcation of the trial on the merits from the trial on the issue of criminal responsibility, under Holmes v. United States, 124 U.S.App.D.C. 152, 363 F.2d 281 (1966).

In support of his pre-trial motion for a bifurcated trial, defense counsel told the…