tterofasilentyoungwomansittingonachairwithherarmsfoldedandherlowerlipstuckout.Theonlydeterminationmadewasthatshemustsufferfromsomekindofemotionaldisturbance,whosenaturewasofthesortthatcouldnotbeleftuntreated.Themedical/legalreportremendedcareinaclosedpsychiatricinstitution.Anassistantheadofthesocialwelfareboardwroteanopinioninsupportoftheconclusionsofthepsychiatricexperts.
Withregardtoherpersonalrecord,theopinionconcludedthattherewasgraveriskofalcoholanddrugabuse,andthatshelackedself-awareness.Bythenhercasewasfilledwithtermssuchasintroverted,sociallyinhibited,lackinginempathy,ego-fixated,psychopathicandasocialbehaviour,difficultyincooperating,andincapableofassimilatinglearning.AnyonewhoreadhercasemightbetemptedtoconcludethatSalanderwasseriouslyretarded.Anothermarkagainstherwasthatthesocialservicesstreetpatrolhadonseveraloasionsobservedher“withvariousmen”intheareaaroundMariatet.ShewasoncestoppedandfriskedinTantolunden,againwithamucholderman.ItwasfearedthatSalanderwaspossiblyoperatingas,orrantheriskofbeing,aprostitute.
Whenthedistrictcourt—theinstitutionthatwoulddetermineherfuture—mettodecideonthematter,theouteseemedaforegoneconclusion.Shewasobviouslyaproblemchild,anditwasunlikelythatthecourtwouldetoanydecisionotherthantoaepttheremendationsofboththepsychiatricandthesocialinquiries.
Onthemorningthecourthearingwastotakeplace,SalanderwasbroughtfromthepsychiatrilinicforchildrenwhereshehadbeenconfinedsincetheincidentinGamlaStan.Shefeltlikeaprisonerfromaconcentrationcamp:shehadnohopeofsurvivingtheday.ThefirstpersonshesawinthecourtroomwasPalmgren,andittookawhileforhertorealisethathewasnotthereintheroleofatrusteebutratherasherlegalrepresentative.
Tohersurprise,hewasfirmlyinhercorner,andhemadeapowerfulappealagainstinstitutionalisation.Shedidnotbetraywithsomuchasaraisedeyebrowthatshewassurprised,butshelistenedintentlytoeverywordthatwassaid.Palmgrenwasbrilliantduringthetwohoursinwhichhecross-examinedthephysician,aDr.JesperH.L?derman,whohadsignedhisnam