BeginnerSleuther
Verified Physician
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2020
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@BeginnerSleuther I understand what you're saying, and I usually have less empathy, but this woman had a known history of serious depression and they had not taken the death penalty off the table. For some reason with this case, her history, her words and behavior after the crime -- it adds up to a strong belief that she should have received an evaluation for me. That's not asking too much in a potential death penalty case, IMO.
I also think her attorney should be interested in the results but IANAL.
I'm confused on what the evaluation would be for. Would it be for an insanity defense? Because a history of depression is extremely unlikely to work for that. Not guilty by reason insanity is generally applied to psychosis because the individual literally can't tell the difference between real or fantasy or right and wrong.
The other reason for an evaluation would be to say she's not competent to stand trial until she gets treatment. I guess I can see it for this reason, though very unlikely it would be granted.
MOO.