Two year's experience under Utah's mens rea insanity law

Bull Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 1986;14(2):185-91.

Abstract

The author examined the records of the seven defendants found not guilty by reason of insanity (NGI) under Utah's mens rea insanity law during the first two years of its operation. In all of the cases the attorneys, judges, and experts seemed unaware of the new law or confused about its meaning. Examination revealed that the findings of insanity were negotiated with either ignorance of or indifference to the mens rea law. Under the mens rea NGI law, the rate of insanity findings for Utah increased.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Forensic Psychiatry*
  • Humans
  • Insanity Defense*
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / diagnosis
  • Mental Disorders / psychology
  • Middle Aged
  • Prohibitins
  • Utah