As the trial of Biswanath Halder, who
faces a death sentence if found guilty of going on a rampage on a university campus and killing one student, continues in the second week, the defense is making strong efforts to win sympathy for him. The defense is trying to portray Halder as a man ridiculed by some of his colleagues and peers over his claims to bring prosperity to his native country, India, through his website that was destroyed by a hacker.
Halder was first charged on 338 felony counts in the May 9, 2003 rampage across Case Western Reserve University campus but the prosecutors decided to reduce the count to 202, partly to hasten the trial which has hit many bumps, especially over the questions of Halder's sanity, with some experts arguing that he was not incompetent to stand trial.
The defense said Halder's mental state had deteriorated even more in recent months but Judge Peggy Foley Jones found those claims baseless. However, she allowed one of the two attorneys for Halder buy a black wig for Halder, the local newspapers reported, after Halder said his religious beliefs prohibited him from being seen in public without his hairpiece.
Halder had worn a long black wig and army fatigues on the day of attack.
Several experts had also found Halder unfit to stand the trial, claiming that he was delusional. But the court decided to accept the testimony of the experts who, while believing Halder had serious emotional problems,