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Legal definitions of insanity or mental disorder are varied, and include the M'Naghten Rule, the Durham rule, the 1953 British Royal Commission on Capital Punishment report, the ALI rule (American Legal Institute Model Penal Code rule), and other provisions, often relating to a lack of mens rea ("guilty mind").
Per Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 12.2, a defendant intending to pursue an insanity defense must timely notify an attorney for the government in writing. The government then has a right to have the court order a psychiatric or psychological examination.
M'Naghten himself would have been found guilty if they had been applied at his trial. [6] [7] The rules so formulated as M'Naghten's Case 1843 10 C & F 200, [8] or variations of them, are a standard test for criminal liability in relation to mentally disordered defendants in various jurisdictions, either in common law or enacted by statute.
The 34-year-old ex-convict Joseph Eaton entered pleas of both not guilty and not criminally responsible, leaving him the option of an insanity defense against charges including four counts of murder.
Because the defense had the burden to prove Scolman was not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect — also known an NGI plea — the defense gave their opening statement before the prosecution.
On Feb 20, defense lawyer Trey Keith, withdrew the motion to file an insanity defense. Instead, Thomas accepted a deal Friday morning from the Taylor County District Attorney's Office.
The rule includes as a test of distinguishing whether or not a defendant can determine the difference between right and wrong. One of the best known applications of the insanity defense was for John W. Hinckley, a man who attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan in 1982. He was ultimately acquitted of his charges under the insanity defense. [9]
A man who killed two people near Wichita Falls will not stand trial for capital murder after all, according to court documents. Instead, Daniel Eric Roof, 44, will go to a mental institution.