insanity plea
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: * (Criminal law) A formal statement in court where a defendant claims they are not guilty by reason of insanity. This plea asserts that the defendant was suffering from a severe mental disease or defect at the time of the crime, which prevented them from understanding the nature of their actions or knowing that their actions were wrong.
Usage
The "insanity plea" is a specific legal defense strategy used in criminal trials. It is not a claim of innocence regarding the act itself, but rather a claim that the defendant lacked the mental capacity required for criminal responsibility.
Examples
- The defense attorney entered an insanity plea on behalf of his client.
- The jury rejected the defendant's insanity plea and found him guilty.
- Successfully proving an insanity plea can result in commitment to a psychiatric institution instead of a prison sentence.
Advanced Usage
- To enter an insanity plea: The formal act of submitting this defense to the court.
- The insanity plea was unsuccessful/upheld: Common phrases describing the outcome of this legal argument.
Variants and Related Words
- Insanity defense (n): A broader term for the legal doctrine and strategy, of which the "insanity plea" is the formal declaration.
- Not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) (n): The specific verdict returned if an insanity plea is successful.
- Competency to stand trial (n): A related but distinct legal concept concerning a defendant's mental state the trial proceedings, not at the time of the crime.
Synonyms
- Mental incompetence defense (n)
- NGRI plea (n)
Noun
- (criminal law) a plea in which the defendant claims innocence due to mental incompetence at the time