Psychology in law has been a big part of the legal system for many years. Many attribute Hugo Münsterberg as the father of forensic psychology (Fulero & Wrightsman, 2009). He researched topics such as eye witness accuracy, confessions, suggestibility, and crime prevention in his book On the Witness Stand (Fulero & Wrightsman, 2009). Münsterberg paved the way for psychologists to work and contribute to the legal field. Some of the many roles of a forensic psychologist is to determine insanity and assess competency to stand trial. One particular case that interestingly involves insanity is that of Andrea Yates. Yates was found not guilty, of killing her five children, by reason of insanity. In law, acquitting someone not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI) is a …show more content…
McLellan (2006), explains that soon after the birth of Mary, her firth child she stopped eating, nursing, and talking. She was then taken to a substance abuse facility where she restarted her antipsychotic medications again. A few days after, while Yates was at home one morning, she drowned her five children in the bathtub. This would begin her long trial in court. The family hired George Parnham to defend Yates. From the beginning of the case, Yates wanted to get death row. In a way, she believed that dying would release Satan from inside of her and all her sins would be washed away. Yates was clearly a very mentally ill individual. Parnham even stated that if she did not meet the test of insanity than nobody did (McLellan, 2006). The first trial jury had a death qualified jury. This meant that the Yates case was a capital case and the likelihood of her being found not guilty by reason of insanity was lower. During the first trial the jury found Yates guilty and she was sentenced to life in prison. However, due to the inaccurate testimony of Park Dietz, a psychologist who the prosecution hired, she was granted a new trial. In the first trial,
Ashley Davis is a 14 year-old, brown-skinned, African-American, masculine presenting female. Ashley’s mother reports that patient is defiant, especially toward her and other authority figures. Mother reports that Ashley’s behavior disrupts the family, her ability to achieve in school and has landed her in legal trouble. Mother reports that the Ashley began to exhibit sexually promiscuous behavior starting as early as 9 years old. Her reason for referral and placement on the unit was due to Ashley’s mother, finding her and her twin brother naked together in a sexualized position, all while trying to record this interaction. When the mother questioned both Ashley and her brother, it seemed as though the Ashley was the aggressor.
Andrea Yates was a woman that did the unthinkable, killed all five of her children. She suffered from a state of depression, using religion as an excuse and had many signs before this happened.
The punishment in the State of Texas for committing two capital crimes is life in jail or the death penalty. Andrea’s lawyer tried to show her innocence by protesting that she was insane at the time of the killings. This plea of insanity could have kept her from life in jail or the death penalty. Sure, she would have served a couple years in jail, but she would have been given the opportunity to come out on parole. Now, if this lady was insane like some believe, then how could she know she committed a crime and not know she was doing wrong when actually drowning the children? Mrs. Yates knew exactly that she hurt the innocent children and was awfully aware of what was going on. Mrs. Yates even called the police and her husband to inform them of what she had done. If the death penalty was on her mind while she was drowning the children, then she might have shown some moral awareness before drowning them instead of after they had died. I believe Andrea to be a sane woman, even though she was depressed or had postpartum depression.
Every once in awhile, a case comes about in which the defendant confesses to a crime, but the defense tries to argue that at the time the defendant was not sane. This case is no different; the court knows the defendant is guilty the only aspect they are unsure about is the punishment this murderer should receive. The State is pushing for a jail sentence and strongly believes that the defendant was sane at the time of the murder. It is nearly impossible for the defense to prove their evidence burden of 51%. The State claims that the defendant was criminally responsible at the time of the murder. By using excessive exaggeration, premeditation and motive, the Prosecution will prove that the defendant knew exactly what he was doing and how wrong it was.
This disorder is a serious clinical mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, frustration, loss or anger interfere with a person’s everyday life. The exact cause of major depressive disorder is not known, however many researchers believe it is linked to chemical changes in the brain, problems with a person's genes, or a combination of both. It tends to run in families, but can also occur in those with no family history of the disease. As stated in the case study, Andrea’s mother and 3 of her siblings were diagnosed with serious mood disorders or alcohol abuse. Symptoms of MDD may include: irritability, difficulty with concentration, fatigue or lack of energy, feelings of hopelessness and/or helplessness, feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or self-hate, social isolation, loss of interest in once pleasurable activities, sleep problems (insomnia or excessive sleeping) and suicidal ideation or behavior. In more severe cases of MDD, patients may experience psychotic symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations. Andrea shows signs of many of these symptoms. She is having hallucinations of people being stabbed and being possessed by the devil. She is
People of the court, we’re here today on behalf of our defendant, Mary Maloney. Our defendant is not guilty of first degree murder, which she has been charged with. After hearing Mary’s testimony it is obvious that Mary reacted under the influence of pregnancy hormones, past insanity, and extreme stressful anxiety.
Costanzo, M., & Krauss, D. (2012). Forensic and Legal Psychology: Psychological Science Applied to Law. New York: Worth Publishers.
Jurors opinions can be influenced by an emotional testimony. Deborah W. Denno’s article Neuroscience, Cognitive Psychology, and the Criminal Justice System is the Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law’s publication of a panel at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Law Schools. The panel had three goals: “examine the interrelationship between neuroscience and substantive criminal law; to incorporate criminal procedure more directly into the examination in a way that past investigations have not done; and to scrutinize cognitive bias in decision-making,” (Denno
Much of my skepticism over the insanity defense is how this act of crime has been shifted from a medical condition to coming under legal governance. The word "insane" is now a legal term. A nuerological illness described by doctors and psychiatrists to a jury may explain a person's reason and behavior. It however seldom excuses it. The most widely known rule in...
Slobogin, Christopher. "The Integrationist Alternative to the Insanity Defense: Reflections on the Exculpatory Scope of Mental Illness in the Wake of the Andrea Yates Trial." American Journal of Criminal Law (2003): Vol. 30 Issue 3, p315-341.
The insanity plea, or the “irresistible impulse” defense, described by Martin (1998) as “a plea that defendants are not guilty because they lacked the mental capacity to realize that they committed a wrong or appreciate why it was wrong.” Remains a very controversial within the judicial system, with many believing that the defense attempts to fake a purportedly guilty man’s insanity, more often to make sure the defendant gets a less harsh conviction or the possibility of an acquittal. While the plea is truly helpful to many who suffer from mental illness, many who do not suffer from illness try to use it as a get-out of-jail-free card.
In the 1959 film Anatomy of a Murder Lieutenant Frederick Manion is accused and tried for the murder of Barney Quill; the accused rapist of Mrs. Manion, the wife of the defendant. Citing temporary insanity due to an “irresistible impulse” to seek justice for his wife’s rape, a jury finds Lt. Manion not guilty in the death of Barney Quill by reason of insanity Although the Hollywood interpretation of the insanity defense in Anatomy of a Murder results in a verdict favorable to the defense, this is not typically the case in real life criminal trials due to the specificity of circumstances that are required to support that defense. Specifically, if Lt. Manion’s trial were a real case and tried in the state of Maryland in the year 2014, his defense strategy
The primary diagnosis for Amanda Anderson is separation anxiety disorder (SAD) with a co-morbidity of school phobia. Separation anxiety disorder is commonly the precursor to school phobia, which is “one of the two most common anxiety disorders to occur during childhood, and is found in about 4% to 10% of all children” (Mash & Wolfe, 2010, p. 198). Amanda is a seven-year-old girl and her anxiety significantly affects her social life. Based on the case study, Amanda’s father informs the therapist that Amanda is extremely dependent on her mother and she is unenthusiastic when separated from her mother. Amanda was sitting on her mother’s lap when the therapist walked in the room to take Amanda in her office for an interview (Morgan, 1999, p. 1).
When viewed from a strictly medical, psychological aspect, Andrea Yates medical history indicates that after the birth of her first child, she began to suffer from various forms of depression and suicide attempts. If one only examines the paper trail and doesn’t think beyond what the medical history does or does not indicate, then perhaps, Andrea would be innocent by reason of mental insanity as the 2006 acquittal suggest. However, when viewed form a legal aspect there are several inconstancies that challenge if this former nurse was insane or if she in fact premeditated the murder of her children as well as her acquittal.
In an article titled, What is Forensic Psychology, Anyway?, John Brigham attempts to explain the beginnings of psychology and law; Forensics Psychology. Brigham explains that, “forensic psychology involves the interaction of psychology and the legal process” (Brigham 274). Brigham further highlights a historical case and the precedent established by the House of Lords through the induction of the McNaughten Rule, which translates, “To establish a defense on the ground of insanity it must be clearly proved that, at the time of committing the act, the party accused was laboring under such defect of reason, from disease of the mind, as not to know nature and quality of the act he was doing, or he did know it, that he did not know he was doing what was wrong” (Finkel, 1988, p21; Brigham p275). Brigham explains that the concept of introducing psychology into the field of law ...