Defense: By Reason of Insanity

Last night, a former UT student was found NOT GUILTY by reason of insanity, with the The Daily Texan (a University of Texas newspaper) pointed out that this defense is rarely successful.

I have been following this case to some degree with some interest because I have been involved with the National Alliance for Mental Illnesses organization which supports the mental health issues and finding treatments for those who are mentally ill with some form of ailments affecting the wellbeing of the mind. If you talk to the NAMI members individually though, you will see some division in supporting this defense. While there are, indeed, fine examples of where this defense is justifiable, there are those cases which you must give pause to make sure that this defense didn't just let loose a murderer who was indeed sane and had actual thought processes that led up to and including the murder. One thing that certainly clouded the issue was the presentation of fact that he had the where-for-with-all to call 911 for help after the murder. It is the idea that one, who is truly insane at the time of the murder, couldn't turn off his insanity so quickly to have the proper processing of thought to call 911.

Other articles on this same announcement of "Not Guilty":

Family, friends testify to Ngai's mental state: Defendant diagnosed as bipolar, victim was helping him handle it

Jury accepts insanity defense in piano prof's death

Former UT student pleads insanity: Jury hears details of horrific killing