The use of the insanity defense has provided the defendants with treatment for the their mental illnesses. Also, I think the insanity defense made a difference when it comes to their sentence.
Andrea Yates case is known as one of the horrifying murderer events that had happened in Texas. Also she is the most hated woman in the United States because of her cruel crime, of murdering her five children one by one in the bathtub just because she thinks that they were doomed to hell because their parents sins. Yates was treated for postpartum depression and psychosis illnesses that ran in her family, meaning that based on these facts on the mental problem that she had and her family where the reason why she murder her own children’s. Referring to all these facts on the case of Andrea Yates whether or not she is culpable being insane at the time of her crime offense of murdering her kids, I believe that she was under a period of mental problem at the time of her offense. Referring to the website biography.com “ Andrea Yates Biography”.
Andrea Yates was “charged by two indictments with capital murder for the drowning deaths of her children” (Yates, Andrea Pia v. The State of Texas). In January 2005, Yates conviction was overturned when information became present that Dr. Park Dietz’s statement during the trial was false. This led to a retrial and Yates upheld her not guilty by reason of insanity defense. The jury agreed and she was remanded to a mental facility in Texas, until she is no longer deemed a threat to
On June 20, 2001, in Houston, Texas, Andrea Pia Yates was charged with the murder of her five children, which she drowned in the bathtub one at a time, and was found not guilty by reason of insanity under the Texas Law Insanity Defense. The legislative history of the Texas Law Insanity Defense begins with the British test for right and wrong, known as the M’Naghten, being adopted in the majority of American states. The M’Naghten test for right and wrong required a mental disease that kept the defendant from controlling their actions and that cognitive impairment is the cause for the defective reasoning of what is right and what is wrong. Beginning in 1973, Texas adopted the American Law Institute’s
The children could hear the terrifying screams from their siblings in the bathroom. One by one all five entered the bathroom where their mother waited for them, unfortunately not a single one would make it out alive. Within six months of this heinous crime Andrea Yates the mother of these five children was put on trial. The evidence presented by both sides in the courtroom, would have long lasting effects on everyone involved in the case, as well as the millions of Americans that were following the trial. Visual testimony in any trial, especially a murder trial can have many effects on the outcome of a trial. Both prosecutors, and defense attorneys have a huge burden to fulfill in order
After reviewing these, the psychological factors that I believe to have contributed to Andrea Yates’ murder of her children are, firstly biological, Andrea had a genetic predispositions, which means Andrea had an increased likelihood of developing
The Durham Rule defines that the defendant cannot be claimed as guilty due to a mental disease and defect at the time; as for the Model Penal Code states as the defendant obtains a mental defect that causes the defendant unable to appreciate the criminality of his conduct. The stability found in Perry does not follow the guidelines or requirements of the insanity defense tests. During the times of the murders Perry was in search of the money that they were targeting, as he searched the houses he came across Nancy’s room and found a doll like purse obtaining a silver dollar. As he attempted to get a hold of the dollar he dropped it causing him to get down on his knees to grasp it. The pitiful moment when he knelt caused him to think, “I had to get down on my knees. And just then it was like i was outside myself. Watching myself in some nutty movie. It made me sick. I was just disgusted...here I am crawling on my to steal a child’s silver dollar. One dollar. And I’m crawling on my belly to get it.” He said he felt as if he was watching himself and was disgusted as to what he could see himself doing at that occurring moment. If one were to be mentally dysfunctional they would not see or feel themselves in that type of
The case of R. v. Schoenborn is a troubling case involving the death of three children and the defence of not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder. This defence must be critically analyzed along with the evidence and expert opinions as it could absolve the accused of the charges. As well, the precedent that the verdict provides is critical to the legal system and its future implication and thus give the decision more importance. After a thorough examination of the facts, it is evident that the verdict of the Supreme Court of British Columbia is correct and reflects the administration’s objectives and beliefs. This will be demonstrated through the application of legal principles and elements.
He uses examples of cases in which people committed crimes involuntarily. Eagleman also cites examples of mental diseases in which the victims have no control over their impulses or actions. In other words, there are people who simply cannot stop themselves from making horrible or regrettable decisions. Therefore, this essay challenges the assumption that people have the power to choose how they live their lives and to make the right decisions at all times. Eagleman addresses the readers directly in order to be able to demonstrate that he understands that his readers will find his ideas radical. However, he is careful to state that he’s neither opposed to getting criminals off the street nor to incarceration. He just states that with all the advances made in neuroscience, it would be inappropriate for the legal system to treat everyone as if they have the power to make the right decisions in the first place. However, Eagleman also recognizes the legal implications of these advances as declaring people guilty or not guilty and determining appropriate legal punishments would become more complicated than before. At the end, he proposes ways in which neurobiological advances could be applied to help the mentally ill criminals to help them gain more self-control and more importantly, to keep them from going back to
Tears ran down 21-year-old Amanda Wright’s face as she listened to the verdict from the jury, for the murder of her mother, Teresa Steller. She could not believe that they were letting a guilty man walk free, because he was diagnosed with being insane at the time of the crime. Teresa was brutally murdered by her husband William Steller, Amanda’s step-father. William dragged Teresa’s body, by her feet, down seventeen wooden steps causing her head to become severely bruised. He then continued to drag her to the kitchen where he stabbed her forcefully thirty-six times. After he stabbed her, he tried to wake her up, but failed to wake his wife’s lifeless body. He then called the police and said he believed his wife was dead, and he did not remember what happen to her. Last thing he said he remembered was hearing evil voices that were trying to kill him. Although this is a fake scenario, many people use this approach in various cases. People found not guilty of a
Two women from Texas, Andrea Yates, 37 and Darlie Routier, 27 both shocked the world when they brutally murdered their children. Both women were described as wonderful mothers who loved their children, but were also described as having post-partum issues during the last years of their children’s lives. Andrea Yates admitted to her harsh crimes and was willing to take any punishment that was given, as she believed she was saving her children’s souls. On the other hand, Darlie Routier did not admitted her crimes towards her children. Darlie Routier pleaded not guilty, but prosecutors believed differently after many conflicts appeared in her story.
“Casey Anthony had reported her two-year old Caylee missing on June 9, 2008, she later admits that she had not seen Caylee in over 30 days before filing the claim” (Casey Anthony Fast Facts). Upon receiving this news, the police arrest Casey on considerable suspicion of child neglect. The police begin to inspect Casey’s car where they find “traces of human decomposition and hair lying in her trunk” (Casey Anthony Fast Facts). August 5, 2008 is when Casey is officially charged with child neglect, but is soon released on a $500,000 bail. It is not until October 14, 2008 that a Florida grand jury accuses Casey of capital murder. Casey Anthony then proceeds to plead not guilty on all accounts. The investigation furthers to find two-year-old Caylee when, horrifically, her skeletal remains were recovered in a nearby wooded
Please first reflect on the personal element of the Andrea Yates story - do you feel/not feel sympathetic toward Andrea? Why or why not? In your opinion what does her personal/home life look like? Do you perceive her as healthy/insane?
When it comes to the case Miller V. State, I believe that trial court refused to give the jury instructions regarding the insanity defense, which the defendant wished to have comunicated, because they wanted the jury to be able to decide imoartially. Miller was examined by three medical experts and they concluded that Miller satisfied the M'naughten insanity test when he stabbed Goring. The district court had instructed the jury to determine whether Miller was actually legally insane when he stabbed Goring. They wanted the jury to find proof of insanity at that time, and to also consider Miller's mental condition "before and after the killing to throw light on what Miller's mental condition was at the time of the killing" (Schmalleger
If ever there was a botched case it was this one with inconsistencies on the part of the State being overwhelming. I watched this trial intently and read everything available. The verdict in this case generated an epidemic of outrage throughout the world. I agree with the not-guilty verdict on the murder one and two charges; however, the evidence is not as incontrovertible as some have suggested. I also agree that there was some mischaracterization around the 31 days; yet, to trivialize this behavior as simply immature is inaccurate.