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The Insanity Defense In The Daniel M Naghten Case

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The Insanity Defense In The Daniel M Naghten Case
Introduction: The insanity defense has been used for many years and believed to began around the 1720’s where the first formal defense was used in a court in 1724. Judge Tracy, the judge that ruled over the first case coined a term “The wild beast standard” that states “for someone to be insane he must be totally deprived of his understanding and memory, and not know what he is doing anymore than an infant, a brute, or a wild beast” (Neville, 2010, pp.3-4). After the Daniel M’Naghten case, a man who attempted to kill a prime minister due to his belief that the prime minister was conspiring against him ended up killing the secretary, there was a new rule many states began to follow. After M’Naghten was found insane by multiple experts because he was unable to know the difference of right and wrong therefore he was acquitted of all charges (Neville, 2010, p. 5) a rule was developed labeled after M’Naghten. …show more content…
They have to understand the charges brought against them, the consequences that could potentially be suffered if there is a conviction, must also have some understanding of the procedures in the courtroom and those who are apart of it. The defendant should also have an “underlying bases for any diagnoses” meaning a mental impairment (Gaskell). Stated in the “Insanity Defense Pros and Cons List” article one of the cons mentioned is that if there is not a previous record of any type of mental disease then the jury may have a hard time believing the insanity plea. If the defendant is found not guilty they are sent to mental health institutions and will stay there until they are thought to be safe to leave the facility. If there is a claim of insanity but they are still found guilty they will go to prison and most will still receive mental health help is will just not be as good of quality, if they get any (Reisner, Piel, & Makey,
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