Why wouldn't Dancer want the psych exam?

Just before the trial is about to commence, Dancer makes this big show of, "Well, I could make a formal motion to have a doctor examine Mannion, AS IS OUR RIGHT, but I thought we could just agree to it instead, save everyone some time."

Beigler balks, tells Dancer to go and file his motion, and Dancer backs down.

Now, on the one hand, this was probably just Dancer testing the waters with Beigler, seeing how much of a pushover he was, what he could get away with. So Dancer backs off when he realizes that Beigler's a tough cookie. That's okay as an explanation of this scene.

But on the other hand, there's no way that they would EVER pass up an opportunity to examine the defendant with an insanity plea. As you might expect, yes, if one side has an opportunity to have someone or something examined by an expert, then the other side has an equal opportunity to have their expert do so. That's only fair; and this is part of legal procedure everywhere. Dancer's motion to have his expert examine Bannion would have been granted if it had been written with crayon on toilet paper, and would have only delayed the trial a couple of days, as Dancer said.

But as Beigler points out in his cross of the prosecution doctor, his testimony is definitely weakened from the get-go because he just hasn't done it. As a juror, I would never take the word of a doctor who hasn't examined the patient/defendant over one that has examined him. You NEVER pass up crucial evidence like this.

With all the attention to detail, to being legally accurate that the movie gave, you'd think they would have gotten this right. I can't understand how they blew this.




I want the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.