DENTON, Texas -- A psychologist says the televised version of 'The Exorcist' caused 'cinematic trauma' that prompted a woman to cut out her 4-year-old daughter's heart.
Dr. Leon Morris of Wichita Falls testified that two days after CBS broadcast the movie, Patricia Frazier cut out her daughter's heart because she believed the girl was possessed by a demon.
Videotape excerpts from the film were scheduled to be shown today to the seven-man, five-woman jury considering the case against Miss Frazier in the Feb. 12, 1980, death of her daughter, Khunji.
A Wichita Falls jury was unable to reach a verdict in Miss Frazier's first trial, and the retrial was moved to Denton on a change of venue.
Morris said he interviewed Miss Frazier, 34, after her arrest and determined she was a paranoid-schizophrenic.'
He said he believed viewing of 'The Exorcist' had 'crystallized the delusions she was suffering from and made her feel that her daughter was possessed and was trying to destroy her.'
Morris testified for the defense, which is trying to build its case partially on the basis of how cinematic trauma affects a person's behavior.
'(Miss) Frazier did not know what she was doing because she was suffering from delusions of being manipulated by supernatural forces,' Morris said.