The cited case provides a well-documented diagnosis of multiple personality disorder as well as a diagnosis made 10 years prior to the homicide committed by the patient. However, a consideration of the legal issues involved proved difficult. Other cases presented demonstrate the clinical difficulties in diagnosis. The sporadic nature of the symptoms and the fusing and interlacing of personalities raise questions about viewing an individual for legal purposes as an entity made of separate beings some of whom are good, bad, or mentally ill, and some of whom are neither. The possibility of conscious manipulation in combination with MPD is another consideration as alleged in the Bianchi case. Subsequent cases presented do offer some guidelines and indicate a trend of disallowing the concept of MPD as a legal defense. 13 references