That particular combination of having an inherited, this parti,
the genetic variant in the MAO-A gene, the so called RAGE gene.
Or warrior gene, and a history of, of maltreatment actually
is thought to increase an individual's chance of being violent.
And a psychiatrist at Vanderbilt University had heard about
the Waldroup case, a psychiatrist named William Bernet, and
he ended up being an expert, a witness at Mr. Waldroup's trial.
Now usually, and I, I've said this before, it there are a lot of cases where
genetic evidence has been introduced into the legal proceeding that for
behavioral for some behavioral characteristic.
But when it has been introduced,
usually it's introduced in the sentencing phase of the trial.
Not in the initial phase where guilt versus innocence is being decided.
But rather when thus, when that has, when someone has been judged to be guilty and
the judge's trying to determine this, the appropriate sentence.
And, and then genetics might be introduced at that phase of the trial because it
might mitigate or the, the actual sentence an individual receives.
In this case, for some reason the judge allowed the psychiatrist
to testify during the trial phase of Mr.Waldroup's trial.
And what he, I won't read the quote here, but what he reported was that given Mr.
Waldroup's genetic background, he had this MAO-A variant, and
his history of maltreatment.
It made him prone to engaging in violence.