Judge James von der Heydt was interviewed by Judge Niesje Steinkruger and Karen Brewster on December 9, 2010 at his condominium overlooking Cook Inlet in downtown Anchorage, Alaska. His wife, Verna, joined in on part of the interview. Judge von der Heydt talks about his experience as a Deputy Federal Marshal based out of Nome in the late 1940s where he was charged with retrieving people for sanity cases and if found "insane and at large" transporting them to Morningside Hospital in Portland, Oregon. He also talks about the court process in Nome for determining mental illness, especially the roles of US Commissioner, attorney, doctor, and the use of a jury trial.
This is a continuation of the interview with Judge James von der Heydt by Judge Niesje Steinkruger and Karen Brewster on December 9, 2010 at his condominium overlooking Cook Inlet in downtown Anchorage, Alaska.