insanity plea

[galdre]

just saw this story - apparently the guy is claiming that god told him to abduct the girl, and the defense is going for the insanity plea

what do you think of the insanity plea?

Seems to me, if someone is sane enough to plan an abduction, they aren't insane. Obviously someone who would want to abduct a girl and rape her continuously for 9 months wouldn't be considered "normal" (I hope), but I've always had a problem with the insanity plea in these cases. He's guilty as hell and should never see the outside of a jail cell.

 

[GhostWriter16]

just saw this story - apparently the guy is claiming that god told him to abduct the girl, and the defense is going for the insanity plea

what do you think of the insanity plea?

Seems to me, if someone is sane enough to plan an abduction, they aren't insane. Obviously someone who would want to abduct a girl and rape her continuously for 9 months wouldn't be considered "normal" (I hope), but I've always had a problem with the insanity plea in these cases. He's guilty as hell and should never see the outside of a jail cell.

I disagree with the bolded, he should absolutely be dragged out of the jail cell, for execution.

The insanity plea may sometimes be valid, but not in this case. Execute him.

 

[civver_764]

Give him life w/ possibility of parole and access to some psychiatric doctors imo.

 

[galdre]

Give him life w/ possibility of parole and access to some psychiatric doctors imo.

I don't think he should have a possibility of parole - Elizabeth Smart is going to have to deal with the consequences of his actions for the rest of her life, I think he should too

he should have access to the doctors though

 

[Seon]

He acts insane, talks insanely, he is insane.

Lock him up forever inside an asylum/prison for me.

 

[galdre]

He acts insane, talks insanely, he is insane.

Lock him up forever inside an asylum/prison for me.

so you would say he is not guilty by reason of insanity?

 

[GhostWriter16]

Give him life w/ possibility of parole and access to some psychiatric doctors imo.

What is this I don't even...

Civver, do you care about innocent people at all? The guy is not insane. And frankly, insanity shouldn't even usually be an excuse. "Because God told you" isn't insanity, its a religious belief, and one with no place in society. So if this is his religious belief, let him die a martyr, and if he's just making crap up, let him die as a murderer.

Frankly, he chained her to a tree, raped her repeatedly for nine months, and you want to give him parole? That is just not a good way to treat innocent people. You don't commit crimes of passion over a nine month period of time, this was premeditated and planned. He should suffer the worst punishment the law allows, heck the worst possible punishment the law allows currently is not harsh enough. Let him hang on a noose.

 

[holy king]

a paranoid schizophrenic could easily plan an abduction.

would you call a paranoid schizophrenic insane or not?

 

[Seon]

so you would say he is not guilty by reason of insanity?

Nope. I have a different definition of insanity than the legal clause. He raped a young woman while she was chained to a tree and claimed that a voice in his head told him to do it. If he actually believes that, he is insane, and should be locked in an asylum/prison. If he is lying and believes that anyone would believe him, he is still insane by my book and should be locked in prison. It makes no difference to me either way.

 

[Cutlass]

I don't think it should matter. Instead of having an "innocent by reason of insanity" defense, we should have a "guilty but insane" conviction. So that people who may be insane, but are in fact guilty, and too dangerous to be let out on the street, can be kept locked up.

 

[galdre]

a paranoid schizophrenic could easily plan an abduction.

would you call a paranoid schizophrenic insane or not?

I don't think they should be found not guilty because of insanity - if they are sane enough to plan a crime, they are sane enough to be found guilty

 

[GhostWriter16]

I don't think it should matter. Instead of having an "innocent by reason of insanity" defense, we should have a "guilty but insane" conviction. So that people who may be insane, but are in fact guilty, and too dangerous to be let out on the street, can be kept locked up.

I agree with that. We shouldn't execute the truly insane, we should lock them up and get them help. However...

I don't think they should be found not guilty because of insanity - if they are sane enough to plan a crime, they are sane enough to be found guilty

Correct as well. If you are insane, you can't plan a crime. You can COMMIT a crime, but you can't plan it in advance. If you did, you should be punished as not insane.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Correct as well. If you are insane, you can't plan a crime. You can COMMIT a crime, but you can't plan it in advance. If you did, you should be punished as not insane.

Suppose a guy honestly think that his father is Saddam Hussein. He plans to kill his father thinking he is doing a good deed. Is he insane?

Its not always black and white.

 

[GhostWriter16]

Suppose a guy honestly think that his father is Saddam Hussein. He plans to kill his father thinking he is doing a good deed. Is he insane?

Its not always black and white.

Saddam Hussein is dead, you can't think your father is Saddam, he either is or isn't. If he was, it would be a good deed, otherwise it would be a bad deed.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Saddam Hussein is dead, you can't think your father is Saddam, he either is or isn't. If he was, it would be a good deed, otherwise it would be a bad deed.

Either this was before he died or the guy didn't know he died. He thought his father was Saddam in disguise.

 

[illram]

Insanity, in most States in the US, basically means you are unable to comprehend that what you are doing is wrong, or you are unable to comprehend what it is you are doing. (The M'Naghten defense.) It is not very scientific. (Not much in a courtroom is.)

You can thank England for this state of affairs.

And remember, when you are found not guilty by reason of insanity, you don't go free. You are institutionalized until you are no longer "insane," and then you go to prison.

 

[dosed150]

insanity isnt a soft option, its worse really, prison you have your term, you serve it, done, but if you plead insanity, you may never get out

 

[GhostWriter16]

insanity isnt a soft option, its worse really, prison you have your term, you serve it, done, but if you plead insanity, you may never get out

Well, if you commit murder you're eligable for execution in some US states. Its really unfortunate this isn't.

 

[illram]

Insanity is raised in about 1% of felony cases and it is "successful" in about a quarter of them.

 

[dosed150]

Well, if you commit murder you're eligable for execution in some US states. Its really unfortunate this isn't.

obvious sarcasm alert-yeah lets exexute mentally disabled people, that sounds brilliant

i dont think the death penalty is something any civilised country should have anyway