Billy Milligan was a man whose life story captivated the world. Born in 1955, he gained notoriety for being the first person to successfully use multiple personality disorder as a legal defense in court. Milligan’s case shed light on the complexities of mental illness and challenged society’s understanding of personal identity.
In 1977, Milligan was charged with multiple counts of rape and robbery. His defense team argued that one of his alter egos committed these crimes, not Billy himself. The court accepted this argument, leading to a controversial verdict that sparked intense debate about the nature of personal responsibility.
Apple TV + has been airing a series called “The Crowded Room” based on the book The Minds of Billy Milligan. The series follows Danny Sullivan played by Tom Holland, He gets arrested in New York City due to a shooting he was involved in. Rya Goodwin Played by Amanda Seyfried, who is an interrogator is trying to find out what actually happened on the day of the shooting.
Danny slowly but meticulously shares what his past life had been like. He speaks about the incident in question and he and his friend Ariana who is one of his personalities tells Danny to kill the man they have been chasing. It turns out that It is actually his step-father which in later episodes we get to meet.
To understand what Danny has faced and why he has so many personalities is because his life was marred by trauma from an early age. One of his personalities said that he had suffered physical and sexual abuse, Danny never himself suggested that there was any abuse. Which likely contributed to the development of his dissociative identity disorder (DID). He had 24 distinct personalities, some were violent others were much calmer.
Since the series is based on the book there are some aspects of the real story that is also shown. The most notable aspect of Milligan’s case was his ability to switch between these personalities seamlessly. This presented a challenge for psychologists and lawyers who had to determine which personality was responsible for committing crimes.
Milligan’s case brought attention to the plight of individuals suffering from DID and raised important questions about how society should treat those with mental illnesses. While some criticized him for using his condition as an excuse for criminal behavior, others saw him as a victim deserving empathy and support.
Tom Hollands’ portrayal of a man with DID was well done. The series is worth the watch.
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