-Caveat Lector- LAWYER FOR TORTORICI CITES DELUSIONS Albany (New York) Times Union Friday, January 5, 1996 by JOHN CAHER Staff writer, Page number B1 ALBANY - Ralph J. Tortorici is a paranoid schizophrenic convinced that mind-controlling conspirators had implanted computer chips in his brain and penis, a delusion born of a penile birth defect, a defense attorney said Thursday. Peter Lynch, who is presenting an insanity defense for the man accused of taking a university class hostage, shooting a student and trying to kill three police officers, told the jury that Tortorici thought he could put an end to a government conspiracy by wresting control of a college classroom. ``Ralph Tortorici has a long history of mental illness, a mental illness called schizophrenia, paranoid type,'' Lynch told the Albany County Court jury. ``While Ralph Tortorici's physical person was present, his rational state of mind was not.'' Lynch said his client had undergone three operations on his penis, one as recently as 1987. Medical records show he was born with a structural deformity known as hyperspadias, which essentially means that the opening is lower than it ought to be, disturbing the flow of urine and semen. Tortorici, 27, of Guilderland, was convinced that the staff of Albany Medical Center Hospital, in conjunction with government officials, implanted microchips in his head and groin to control his thoughts and emotions, Lynch said. Lynch said Tortorici had been treated at the Capital District Psychiatric Center twice in 1992 after complaining to officials at the University at Albany and to Guilderland police about implanted microchips. Tortorici is accused in a 15-count indictment of a series of bizarre actions on Dec. 14, 1994, beginning when he walked into a Greek history class with a high-powered rifle. The indictment alleges he took the class hostage for more than two hours, tried to kill police negotiators in an adjacent room and shot a student. Lynch does not deny the general allegations, although he does dispute whether Tortorici was really trying to kill police officers when he fired a shot at the wall they were behind. The gist of his defense is that Tortorici was severely delusional and thought he could get the government out of his head and loins by taking hostages and demanding attention from the president and the Congress. ============ [note : Ralph Tortorici was found dead in his prison cell in 1999. The authorities declared his death a "suicide" .....] =========== MARtin F. ABErnathy [[EMAIL PROTECTED]] <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
