insanity defense
Mental illness excuse
The insanity defense is a legal strategy in criminal cases where defendants argue they should not be held responsible for their actions because mental illness prevented them from understanding what they were doing or knowing it was wrong.
Successfully pleading insanity typically results in commitment to a psychiatric facility rather than prison.
Despite its prominence in legal dramas, the defense is rarely used and even more rarely successful.
The defendant's lawyers mounted an insanity defense, claiming he was experiencing delusions at the time of the shooting.
- burden of proofDuty to prove allegations
- criminal responsibilityLiability for unlawful acts
- mental illnessDisorder affecting cognition or mood
- automatismInvoluntary mechanical behavior
- duressCoercion through threats
not guilty by reason of · culpability · mental disorder · expert testimony · forensic psychiatry · psychopathology · irresistible impulse · crime of passion · involuntary commitment · intoxication · mitigating circumstances · psychological evaluation · psychiatrist · competency · asylum · commitment · courtroom · not guilty
- Criminal Defenseright to counsel, legal counsel, not guilty, innocence, plea bargain
- criminal lawcrime, felony, misdemeanor, murder, robbery
- criminal psychologycriminal mind, motive, intent, premeditation, psychopath
- mind tropesmad scientist, mental breakdown, mind control, multiple personality, nervous breakdown
- criminal defensesdiminished capacity, mental incapacity, irresistible impulse, mens rea, criminal responsibility
- forensic psychologyforensic evaluation, forensic interview, psychological assessment, forensic psychiatry, competency exam
insanity defenseguilty plea
Admitting criminal responsibility
admission of guilt · confession · self-defense · no contest plea · diminished capacity
insanity defensestrict liability
Legal responsibility without fault
mens rea · criminal intent · guilty mind · moral responsibility · accountability
defense, insane, sane, defender, sanity, insanity, defending, defensive, defenseless