The Insanity Defense & You

THESE INTERVIEWS DO NOT SHOW MY PERSONAL STANCE ON THE ISSUE, THESE ARE OTHERS OPINIONS, NOT MY OWN.

Interview 1# Rachel

Age: 19

Q: What do you know about the insanity defense as it is used in law ?

A: I don’t know much about out it other than the fact it’s used for people to not be held responsible for their actions and basically get off free for crime.

Q: What was your first time seeing something pertaining to the insanity defense ?

A: The first time I saw someone use the insanity defense and get acquitted was in the aurora murders in colorado. The guy who shot up the theater with that machine gun during the dark knight.

Q: What is your overall take on the insanity defense ? Is a viable option and who do you think are the people who get off using it the most ?

A: I believe that the defense is a viable option depending on how you look at it. For example, I think that it can be used in some cases when the personally is generally thought of and seen as criminally insane. When they have something extremely wrong with them such as really, REALLY bad schizophrenia or multiple personality disorders they cannot be fully held responsible for their actions because they aren’t truly the ones making them. As it is portrayed in the media, “Only white people are criminally insane”. While it is true that most people who use this pled successfully, at least from what i’ve seen are white it’s not race exclusive. Mental illness can and affect other races and it does. So putting as a stigma for a specific race is wrong.

Interview 2# Donna

Age 48

Q: What do you know about the insanity defense as it is used in law ?

A: I’ve not heard much about it other than the fact that crazy people use it to get off on trials and things like that.

Q: What was your first time seeing something pertaining to the insanity defense ?

A: I mean, It’s been around forever from what i’ve seen. The first real time I remember it being in the news was with the “Son Of Sam” case in the late 70’s/ early 80’s. The case was basically about a guy who went around a killed people in New York. He said he did it because the neighborhood dog told him to.

Q: What is your overall take on the insanity defense ? Is a viable option and who do you think are the people who get off using it the most ?

A: I honestly don’t think the insanity defense is a viable reason. I’ve known people who have gone to trial for some horrible things and tried to cop an insanity plea just to get out and stay in the cuckoo’s nest. While I think that it used to be able to be used back in the day I don’t think it’s really that bad now. People will manipulate a jury's feelings try and get off. You mostly see white people using it as a way of getting off. Because for some odd reason, being white and insane is more believable than being black and unarmed for example. I honestly think you are in control of your actions and while there may be outside influences working on your mind. You as a person ultimately make the choice on what YOU do. Not some dog voice or someone making you think that. You hit that person or kill them not the voice.

Interview 3# Josh:

Age: 32

Q: What do you know about the insanity defense as it is used in law ?

A: I’ve only heard of it really in cases with really jacked up people. Like Jeffrey Dahmer or John Du Pont. In all honesty I should know more about it since my father was a lawyer.

Q: What was your first time seeing something pertaining to the insanity defense ?

A: My first time really seeing it was with the Jeffrey Dahmer case back in 92. My dad explained to me that something was wrong with Mr. Dahmer but not exactly what. Since I was young, I think he tried to shield me from what was really going on and what he really was. A sick and psychotic man that really needed a lot of help.

Q: What is your overall take on the insanity defense ? Is a viable option and who do you think are the people who get off using it the most ?

A: Overall I think the defense is overused in society today. Many people now a days see it as an easy cop out to not go to jail. Or as many people of color see it, the way that extremely jacked up white people don’t go to jail. Because their “Insane”. Everyone has problems, I am not an exception to that, neither are you or anyone really. But everyone can find ways to control these urges. No one is just born to kill, you may be born a little messed up but not enough to where you can blame “the voices” or someone else. You do actions of your own accord and I think the media portrays the defense in a bad light considering they show it as only rich people being insane. Knowing how the defense works I’m not going to say it’s a bad thing that should be taken out of courts completely. I just believe that it should only be used under severe circumstance.

Conclusion:

Based upon these interviews the general public is just what I thought they would be regarding the insanity defense. While some see it as a blessing others see it as a curse since at least in today’s society it’s misused greatly. After learning through the neuroscience unit that people are not always aware of and in tune with their actions I feel as though mental health is extremely overlooked. Just as person gets care for their physical wounds their mental ones should be taken care of with just as much priority. I think that neuroscience is something extreme