
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 11, 1990                   TAG: 9004110402
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The New York Times
DATELINE: ELIZABETH, N.J.                                LENGTH: Medium

KILLINGS OCCURRED IN MIDST OF LIST'S 'MIDLIFE CRISIS'

A psychiatrist for the prosecution testified Tuesday that John E. List was suffering from nothing more than a "midlife crisis" when he shot his wife, mother and three children to death in their Westfield house Nov. 9, 1971.

The jury, which will hear final arguments in the case today, also heard testimony that List told the psychiatrist he was able to put the killings out of his mind and to begin enjoying life again during his 17 years as a fugitive.

He said he "only thought about it on the anniversary of the deaths," the psychiatrist, Dr. Steven Simring, said.

List had lost several jobs and, at age 46 in 1971, he was experiencing what many people go through - a midlife crisis "where you compare where you are to where you wanted to be," Simring said. List was an accountant and intelligent, he added, but still suffered from a sense of failure.

Simring said List had a "clear mind at all times" when he planned and carried out the killings of his family. He also said List weighed the pros and cons of his decision and did not make up his mind until the night before the killings.

Since List's lawyer has said his client killed his family, the jury will have only the differing views of List's mental health to deal with when it receives the case from Judge William L'E. Wertheimer.

Simring interviewed List for four hours with the aid of a video camera in the prosecutor's office in January. He quoted List using notes he had taken from the interview and the videotape.

List said he shot his wife, Helen, 46, as she sat at the kitchen table having toast and coffee. From that moment, he said, he "was on auto-drive."

His 85-year-old mother, Alma, who lived in a third-floor apartment, asked what the noise was, List said, and he went upstairs and shot her.

He then had lunch and went to the bank to empty his account and to the post office to stop mail delivery. Then he shot each of his children, Patricia, 16, John Jr., 15, and Frederick, 13, as they arrived home, either after he had picked them up or as they came in.

List told the psychiatrist that it was "almost with a sigh of relief that I killed them all and no one was left." Simring added that List said he was afraid any survivors would suffer.

by CNB