Dissociation and the insanity defense: A review of U.S. Federal appellate case law.

automatism burden of proof dissociation dissociative disorders forensic psychiatry insanity defense multiple personality trauma unconsciousness

Journal

Journal of forensic sciences

ISSN: 1556-4029

Titre abrégé: J Forensic Sci

Pays: United States

ID NLM: 0375370

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
14 Jun 2024

Historique:

revised: 29 05 2024

received: 29 01 2024

accepted: 04 06 2024

medline: 15 6 2024

pubmed: 15 6 2024

entrez: 14 6 2024

Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

Pathological dissociation is relatively common in the United States and may be associated with violent or criminal behavior. Dissociative Disorders, especially Dissociative Identity Disorder, are considered controversial diagnoses by some in the psychiatric and legal professions. Individuals who offend during dissociative states may not be criminally responsible if they meet the legal standard for insanity, however, insanity pleas based on dissociative symptoms are rare. This review examined Federal appellate case law for potential legal barriers to the insanity defense for dissociative conditions and any restrictions imposed on related expert evidence. Few rulings directly addressed these questions but there do not appear to be any unique barriers for dissociation-related insanity pleas. Some cases provided valuable insights regarding the admission of expert evidence, effective expert testimony, and the role of defense counsel.

Identifiants

DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15567 PMID: 38876483

pubmed: 38876483

doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.15567

doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

Informations de copyright

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