title: First admission (1846) of hypnotic testimony in court.
abstract: The record of an 1846 trial for murder in New York state was reviewed. This was the first case in which testimony based on hypnosis (mesmerism) was admitted without objection in an American court of law. The allegations against the defendant were not supported by the evidence offered, and a verdict of not guilty was rendered.
authors.affiliation: George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20036-6511, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gravitz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003416:Criminal Law / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006708:Homicide / Q000266:history*; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis / Q000266:history*; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D009518:New York