Pollard v. United States

Facts

Pollard was a police officer and out on duty one night when a drunken neighbor brutally murdered his wife and small daughter. After the murder, Pollard’s three other children, all sons, continued to live with him and his mother-in-law, who cared for the children and the home. Gradually, Pollard became the victim of chronic depression.

Two years later, he remarried. On the day before this marriage, Pollard attempted to hold up a branch of the Detroit Bank & Trust Company during the morning time. On the afternoon of the same day, Pollard attempted to hold up a branch of the Bank of the Commonwealth. After having held up two banks in one day and failed in the robberies, Pollard then planned on the same afternoon to rob a third bank, but finally decided not to do so when, as he said, he found it had too much window area, and felt that the chance of his being caught was too great. However, a few days later, he tried again and failed. A week later, Pollard attempted to hold up a grocery market. Pollard was caught and arrested. After his arrest, Pollard seemed greatly relieved, and confessed to eleven other robberies.

At his trial, multiple psychiatrists agreed that Pollard suffered from a dissociated reaction and acted under a compulsion of an irresistible impulse. He was convicted of attempted robbery and robbery.