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insanity defense |
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defense /de·fense/ (de-fens´) behavior directed to protection of the individual from injury. character defense any character trait, e.g., a mannerism, attitude, or affectation, which serves as a defense mechanism. insanity defense a legal concept that a person cannot be convicted of a crime if he lacked criminal responsibility by reason of insanity at the time of commission of the crime. insanity defense Forensic psychiatry A legal defense that a person cannot be convicted of a crime if he lacked criminal responsibility by reason of insanity–a term defined as a matter of law; the premise is that where there is no
mens rea because of insanity, there is no criminal responsibility. See American Law Institute Formulation, Durham Rule, Irresistible impulse test, Long Island Rail Road massacre, M'Naughton Rule. Cf 'Black rage' defense, Television intoxication, 'Twinkie' defense. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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Two unusual events, however, have positive life-altering consequences: he begins to give cello lessons to a young Korean boy whose natural talents and single-mindedly aggressive but well-meaning mother mirror and force him to confront the elements that shaped his own unnatural childhood; and, he is selected to sit as a juror on a homicide case in which there's an insanity defense. At the end of her very brief essay, she offers more cause for doubt by approvingly quoting legal scholar Alan Stone's statement that the insanity defense "purports to draw a line between those who are morally responsible and those who are not, those who are blameworthy and those who are not, those who have free will and those who do not. Attorneys also said statements made by Sheriff Lee Baca, Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn and others that Alvarez was ``deranged'' and a ``crazed individual'' will not help defense attorneys in a possible insanity defense to spare him a potential death sentence. |
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