BrazosDog02 said:
Hardcore Greg said:
AggieKatie2 said:
I apparently missed that Massachusetts is one of the few states that when the defense utilizes an insanity defense, the state is required to prove the defendant WAS SANE BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.
This is what I hate. As a reasonable juror, it seems to force you between a rock and a hard place. A juror should be able to say "yeah I think this person was crazy as all get out, but they are GUILTY full stop of heinous atrocities". That's personally where I sit...i believe she was very likely way out of her mind, but I don't care and think it's ******ed to give people a pass because they are crazy.
I don't have a legal bone in my body...is there something I am missing?
Is this going to start applying to school shooters and mass murderers? When an 18 yr old kid shoots up an elementary school or a movie theater, are people going to have this same energy?
You're not missing anything. It's a nuance of the charge and sane people have a tough time with it. I believe you can be insane and do terrible things because of it and not realize what you did because you are insane. But I also have no way to proving any of it and as such this defense makes it very hard to work in my head. I think it's being abused here and I think she's absolutely aware of her actions.
Also, I think jury instructions are hard for some people when you dump all of the above into the mix. It requires more than an "average" person to process it. I've said it before, but I've met my "peers". 98% of them are dumber than me and there is no way in hell that I want my fate depending on their ability to critically think or have complex thoughts. No way at all.
Same. And it's sad, but as a society we have to be pragmatic and realize that overall it is a very rare thing statistically, and that the real victims are the ones that were injured or killed (and their families). Not guilty by reason of insanity is absurd imo, and not fair to the victims or society at large.
You could literally make the case that the brain chemistry for just about every mass murderer, school shooter, and serial killer in American history was completely "off". Too bad, so sad, we demand that they be held accountable.
I keep going back to Thomas Johnson...that dude was clinically insane and many people, including doctors, knew this for a long time. Fast forward a few years and he's homeless and looks completely different and decides to hack up a couple of innocent joggers in Dallas one morning with a machete.
We going to give people like this a slap on the wrist? Or are only females with children special?
Not directing my rant at you, just ranting.