This book details how forensic art therapy was used in a capital murder case in which a man was tried for kidnapping his two children, murdering one, and attempting to kill the other. In this case, the prosecution sought the death penalty, while the defense employed an unusual strategy to avoid the sentence. The defendant's attorneys turned to more than one hundred examples of his artwork, which he had created over many years, to determine whether he was mentally ill at the time he committed the crimes. The book's author, an art therapist who was contracted by the defense to analyze the images ... More

This book details how forensic art therapy was used in a capital murder case in which a man was tried for kidnapping his two children, murdering one, and attempting to kill the other. In this case, the prosecution sought the death penalty, while the defense employed an unusual strategy to avoid the sentence. The defendant's attorneys turned to more than one hundred examples of his artwork, which he had created over many years, to determine whether he was mentally ill at the time he committed the crimes. The book's author, an art therapist who was contracted by the defense to analyze the images that were to be presented as evidence in the case, recounts his findings and his testimony in court, as well as the future implications of his work for criminal proceedings. The book describes the role of the art therapist as an expert witness in a murder case, the way in which art can be used as evidence and the conclusions and assessments that professionals can draw from a defendant's artworks. It examines the effectiveness of expert testimony as communicated by the prosecution, defense and court, and weighs the moral, ethical, and legal consequences of relying on such evidence. The book shows how art can reflect a damaged and dangerous psyche and demonstrates the practical applications of an innovative approach to clinical assessment and treatment.