Testimony On Game Disallowed By Judge

Testimony On Game Disallowed By JudgeThe capitol murder trial of MR. M progressed little in St. Louis County Circuit Court on Saturday as Judge Alphonso H. Voorhees disallowed any testimony referring to the game "Dungeons and Dragons." The fantasy adventure game, also known as "D & D," is popular among high school and college students and involves role-playing that can grow violent.

MR M, 19, and co-defendant Mr A, 22, both of south St. Louis, are accused of strangling Mary Towey, 18, on April 13. Miss Towey, of Oakville, was a student at St. Louis University. Defense attorney S. Lee Patton argued that the game has been an integral part of the case from the beginning. M and A, who is to be tried later, reportedly had met Miss Towey through the game. Patton attempted to introduce an expert witness on Dungeons and Dragons" in the trial Saturday in Clayton but was blocked by special prosecutor John Chancellor, who objected that such testimony was "irrelevant." Judge Voorhees sustained the objection. Chancellor also objected when character witness for MR M referred to the game. Each time, the objection was sustained by Judge Voorhees. The witnesses included Mr M’s parents, L and L M , as well as former teacher and classmates at St. Aloysius parochial school, in south St. Louis.

Chancellor said that Mr M.had given police several differing versions of how Miss Towey was strangled and that none of the versions included the game of "Dungeons and Dragons." In a taped statement played Friday at the trial, Patton said he would attempt to call other expert witnesses Monday to attest to the psychological effects that playing "Dungeons and Dragons" have on young people.