And now, the end has come...
On February 18, 1936, during Day 7 of the trial, Phil Kennamer testified before a packed courtroom. Dr. Karl Menniger recalled his earlier testimony, stating he believed Phil was insane when he ended John Jr., citing a psychopathic personality. Dr. E.A. Werner, who examined Phil multiple times, concurred, noting Phil couldn't grasp right from wrong at the time of the murder. When Phil took the stand, his deliberate and concise responses seemed to AFFIRM his sanity. He claimed his motive was to protect Virginia from kidnapping and denied any mental instability, though his answers contradicted others' testimonies. The day concluded with the defense resting.
By February 19, Day 8, the state presented rebuttals, challenging the insanity plea. Various professionals, including educators and mental health doctors, testified that Phil showed signs of a psychopathic personality but did not exhibit true insanity. The prosecution argued against the self-defense claim, and the timeline of the gunshots indicated premeditation. The case was in the hands of the jury now…
Join us for Part 5, THE END, of the High Society Murder.
Sources:
Murder in the Name of Love: The Phil Kennamer Trial by Jim Freese
Deadly Hero: The High Society Murder that Created Hysteria in the Heartland by Jason Lucky Morrow
Okemah Daily Leader, Vol. 17, No. 64, Ed. 1 Tuesday, February 3, 1942
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.