The Trial Case Of Patrcia Hearst
analytical Essay
1260 words
When we think of a person who is insane we label them as someone who is unreasonably foolish, and not in the right mind set to understand their own actions and decisons. This plays a big role in deciding the verdict and sentence during a trial case dealing with a victim who has a disorder or suffered traumatic abuse. In certain situtions the insanity defense is necessary to ensure that justice is served and the correct punishment is given. A famous trial that demonstrates this defense is the case of Patrcia Hearst, who robbed a bank in 1974.
Born in 1954 in Los Angeles, California, Patty Hearst is the granddaughter of William Randolph Hearst, founder of the Hearst media empire. On February 4, 1974, at age 19, Patty Hearst was kidnapped by
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In this essay, the author
- Explains that patty hearst's trial for the hibernia bank robery began on february 4, 1976. she was afflicted with stockholm syndrom as early as three months before her arrest.
- Explains that stockholm syndrome is a psychological disorder where victims of kidnapping become sympathetic to their captors and begin to feel reliant on them.
- Analyzes how patricia was abducted by the sla at a time when she was receptive to new influences. the conviction was fair because she came from wealth and was happily particpating in the crimes.
- Explains that the insanity defense is necessary to ensure justice is served and the correct punishment is given. patrcia hearst was kidnapped by the symbionese liberation army in 1974.
- Opines that patricia hearst was brainwashed and forced to believe that being in the sla was the right thing to do.
Patricia They caught her at a particularly vulnerable and uneasy moment in her life. She had disaapointed and anegred her parents by moving in with her older boyfriend, but that relationship was deteriating and becoming toxic. Later she described herself as feeling suicidal she wanted to get out of the relationship, but she feared having to admit to her parents it was a failure. She was starting to have a political awakening of sorts. She was 19 and the SLA intruded into her life at a time when she was uniquely receptive to new influences. During a young age is where we grow the most as people and our outside ifluence play a huge role on the way we see the world. Also, this was during the 70’s, a time where outrageous behavior was occuring. Patricia went from an innocent young girl enrolled in Berkley to being forced to comply to the SLA’s rebelious behavior. Most say her conviction was fair because she came from wealth and seemed to be happily particpating in the crimes, showing no signs of remose. They believe it is unconvincing that she chnaged her standpoint as soon as trial begun and wanted to seem like she was not guilty. However it is hypoctrical to think that it was believable that she had joined the SLA in a mater of days, but not possible that she was actually a victim and was afraid to leave after finally being exposed to a realstic environment that she hadn’t been familiar with. The world was shocked when she had decided to conform with her abductors because they knew this wasn’t in her character. Now that trial had begun she was slowing stepping into a normal life and being told what she had done was wrong helping her realize the emotional abuse she had been surrounded by. Your enviroment and emotional mindset relates to how your brains works. I believe that Hearst was brainwashed and forced to believe that being in the SLA was the right thing to do. Even though she
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In this essay, the author
- Explains how the insanity plea is important to those with a psychological disorder, but our "perfect" law needs to fine-tune the defense to prevent people from using it to escape going to jail or being executed.
- Explains that the insanity plea, as defined by cornell law, is based on the fact that a person can acknowledge that they committed the crime, but argue they are not responsible for it because of their mental illness.
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648 wordsRead More - Defence Of Insanity Essayanalytical essayThe basis of insanity is upon M’Nagten Rules (1843) which set forward the principles of a defence when the “defendant had a defect of reason” or a “disease of the mind” and was not able to understand the nature of the act they did or did not know what they were doing was wrong. These three conditions must be proved for the defence of insanity to become available. Insanity is available for the all cases that require mens rea except for strict liability cases.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that insanity is available for all cases that require mens rea except for strict liability cases.
- Explains that the first condition to be established is the defendant's defect of reason.
- Explains that the second condition to be established is whether the defendant had a "disease of the mind".
- Explains that the court must establish whether the defendant did not know the nature and quality of the act.
- Explains that if a defendant is given the defence of insanity, the jury will decide that they are not guilty. up until 1992, this meant that the judge had to send them to the mental hospital.
- Explains that automatism is the defence used when an act is done by the body without the control of the mind such as spasms, reflex actions or when a person is not conscious.
- Explains that non-insane automatism is when the action done by the defendant is not voluntary from the mind, showing they have no mens rea. the cause must be an external one such as concussion, sneezing or effects of a drug.
- Explains the second form of automatism, which is self-induced or non-insane, when the defendant knows that their willing actions could lead to a state where they have no voluntary control over their actions.
- Argues that the defence of insanity is often criticised for bringing up certain issues.
- Argues that automatism and insanity are similar and the legislation could be changed to make the distinction easier to understand and better cover their respective areas.
- Opines that the defence of insanity and automatism is in need of reform. there is only one defence based on mental health that is a general defence.
1159 wordsRead More - Patty Hearst Analysisanalytical essayAt first Patty Hearst refused the fact that she was being both physically and psychologically abused by the SLA group. She announced the fact that she became part of the SLA group in her free will. The journalist Paul Krassner had an interview with Patty Hearst before Patty Hearst was captured by the FBI. Patty Hearst explained that she joined the SLA because she felt that the SLA could secure her freedom. She insisted that she was not being brainwashed; everything was only to find out who she really is.”She understood that she betrayed the society’s expectation on her ,but she does not regret any of it because she thinks she should not go against what she really is. She felt like the whole life before she became a part of SLA had been wasted.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how patty hearst refused to be abused by the sla group. she joined the group because she felt it would secure her freedom.
- Analyzes how patty hearst was forced to join the sla terrorists because she thought no one could rescue her. she was sexually abused by the gang.
- Opines that while the brutal experiences patty hearst suffered were startled, it is important to point out that she received the informations the terrorists try to implant to her by the reason that it's stimulating and exciting.
- Analyzes how patty hearst's doubt on her planned live path and her struggling mind made her irresistible to the strongly controversial viewpoint.
- Explains that patty hearst was a political sociopath because of the society's restraint on females. while the symbionese liberation army abused her, she still paid for the crimes she had committed.
- Concludes that the cause of the patty hearst event was only a part of process from the terrorists’ approach to their objectives.
1359 wordsRead More - The Law and Insanity Defenseanalytical essayThe insanity defense has been around for a very long time, the idea behind it is that a person who is incapable of telling right from wrong should not be held responsible for his or her actions at the time. Insanity is different from youth, and mental retardation in the fact that the person is capable on a regular basis of understanding right from wrong. The insanity defense is not something that can just be used at will, and instantly believed. Insanity must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that at the time the crime was committed, the offender was incapable of discerning right from wrong.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes impulsive behavior and a criminal defendant's insanity claim at the time of trial.
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- Opines that the term insanity has undoubtedly been used broadly to cover a range of conditions, some of which may not constitute illnesses as previously designed.
- Explains that the insanity defense has been around for a very long time. it is different from youth, and mental retardation in that one is capable of understanding right from wrong.
- Explains that sex offenders may be found to be insane for all purposes except the defense.
- Explains that a clear definition of insanity is the best way to make it usable while stopping it from being abused by those who are just trying to skirt the law and avoid responsibility for their misdeeds.
- Explains that after plato's law there was nothing written that survived eluding to the presence of mind as an issue during criminal trials. the daniel m'naghten trial was the first trial with a clearly documented usage of the insanity defense.
- Explains that the irresistible impulse test was adopted by the alabama supreme court in the 1887 case of parsons v. state.
- Explains that the irresistible impulse test gained acceptance in a number of states mostly as an addition to the m'naghten rule.
- Analyzes how the court's opinion suggests constitutional limits on the power states have to impose commitment sentences and involuntary mental health treatment.
2120 wordsRead More - Insanity Pleaopinion essayIn his proposal “Severe Personality-Disordered Defendants and the Insanity Plea in the United States,” George Palermo, a forensic psychiatrist, presents his thesis for the insanity plea to be reversed back to its previous definition. People who had personality disorders that could cause them to become psychotic for even a brief moment used to be eligible to receive the verdict not guilty by reason of insanity, before the United States restricted it to only people affected by mental illnesses. A mental illness is a disorder such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, which can cause a person to be unable to determine whether an act is right or wrong. It d...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that john hinckley's trial ended in 1982 with the verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.
- Describes george palermo's proposal for the insanity plea to be reversed back to its previous definition.
- Compares the views of eric silver, carmen cirincione, and henry steadman on the insanity defense.
- Opines that the insanity plea should be abolished and replaced with mens rea, which is already constitutionally protected by the due process clause.
- Opines that the inequality in the punishments of someone with a personality disorder and those with mental disorders is unfair and something should be done to fix it.
- Explains that hinckley, jr. and the insanity defense: thepublic's verdict.
- Explains that phillips, jean k. gilles, and woodman, rebecca e. the insanity of the mens rea model:due process and the abolition
1099 wordsRead More - The Patty Hearst Trialanalytical essayPatty Hearst was a normal 19 year old girl, living in an apartment with her fiance and attending university in Berkeley, California, until one day her life, and the lives of everyone around her changed forever. On the evening of February 4, 1974, some members of the left-wing radical group called the Symbionese Liberation Army barged into Hearst’s home armed with guns, and beat up her fiance before kidnapping Hearst and bringing her to their house where she was kept blindfolded in a closet for 59 days. While locked in the closet, Patty Hearst was verbally and sexually abused and she was denied the use of even a toilet or toothbrush if she didn’t tell them that she agreed with the group’s ideas and beliefs. It is believed that while being locked in the closet like this, Patty was being brainwashed by the SLA and that she may have even developed Stockholm Syndrome, a condition in which a person who was kidnapped starts to empathise with their captor, and even starts defending them. This is how the Symbionese Liberation Army convinced Patty Hearst to join their group. They released an audio tape to the public in which Patty Hearst said she was changing her name to Tania and that she had decided to join the SLA. She then helped the SLA rob a bank and steal an ammunition belt from a sports store. After this, she started travelling around the country with two members of the SLA named John and Emily Harris, to try avoid being captured by the police. During this time, the police found a house where some members of the SLA were hiding out. Attempts to make the SLA members surrender ended up in a massive gunfight, ultimately ending up in the deaths of 6 SLA members. The FBI eventually found and arrested Patty Hearst on September 18, 1975. T...
In this essay, the author
- Describes how patty hearst was kidnapped by the symbionese liberation army in 1974. she was verbally and sexually abused and denied the use of a toilet or toothbrush.
- Describes how the fbi found and arrested patty hearst on september 18, 1975. she was charged with armed robbery, but her lawyer argued she was brainwashed and suffering from stockholm syndrome.
- Explains that the patty hearst trial got so much publicity because she was a wealthy heiress, daughter of randolph, who was in charge of media empire. the kidnapping made her name well-known around north america and the world.
- Explains that the patty hearst case and trial were well-known at the time and still are today. the case has been memorialized in popular culture through audio tapes and videos.
- Explains how randolph hearst's kidnapping of patty became one of the most publicized events of that era.
- Opines that the patty hearst trial had an impact on many people and it is a very important and significant trial.
- Cites bowman, lauren, dominique forrest, and malissa osei. social science and coercion as a defense in kidnapping cases: patricia hearst.
- Analyzes linder, douglas o., "patty hearst trial (1976)." famous trials, umkc school of law, 2006.
911 wordsRead More - Analysis Of Bruco Eastwood's Insanity Trialanalytical essayMany criminals find many ways to get out of jail or being sentenced to death, what goes through their minds? Pleading insanity means to not be guilty of a crime committed due to reason of mental illness. In many cases criminals get away with pleading insanity, but in the end does it always work out? Bruco Eastwood pleaded insanity and therefore his background, crime, and where he is now will be crucial to Brucos’ insanity plea.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that pleading insanity means not being guilty of a crime committed due to reason of mental illness. bruco eastwood's background, crime, and where he is now will be crucial.
- Explains that bruco eastwood had major issues from his adolescence days, including being arrested for menacing, assault, domestic violence, and driving under the influence.
- Concludes that bruco's charges were immense because of the crime he committed.
- Analyzes how bruco eastwood's insanity plea was justified by the court-submitted evidence and the psychiatrists' determination that he had paranoid schizophrenia.
- Opines that bruco strongeagle eastwood is still alive as far as the news is updated on. the judge sent him to a state mental institute in pueblo.
- Analyzes how bruco eastwood got away with pleading insanity because he was believed to have a mental illness.
1230 wordsRead More - Competency To Stand Trial Essayexplanatory essayInsanity (legal sense): A person can be declared insane if they are conscious while committing the crime, committing the criminal act voluntarily, and had no intent to inflict harm. A person declared insane lacks rational intent due to a deficit or disorder, which inhibits their rational thinking
In this essay, the author
- Explains that a person can be declared insane if they are conscious while committing the crime and had no intent to inflict harm.
- Opines that zapf, p., and roesch, r. (2011). future directions in the restoration of competence to stand.
- Describes the possible causes of callous-unemotional traits in children with conduct disorder.
- Explains that there are multiple causes or risk factors that may explain why individuals have high callous unemotional traits. however, multiple forces cause cu traits to develop.
- Opines that the pcl-r is increasingly used by psychiatric experts testifying in the courtroom.
- Opines that the pcl-r is useful in determining future dangerousness of an inmate, but should not be the only measure used to determine this.
- Explains the term competency to stand trial, which refers to the ability or inability of a person to participate in their defense.
- Explains the types of treatments that clinicians use to restore an individual’s competence to stand trial, and the kinds of incompetencies that are appropriate for these treatments.
- Explains that incompetent defendants are able to postpone their trial until their competency is restored. psychotropic medications and educational interventions are two of several treatments used to restore competency.
- Discusses conduct disorder among children and adolescents. callous unemotional traits include a lack of guilt, no concern for the feelings of others, and inability to express emotion.
1703 wordsRead More - The Insanity Defenseanalytical essayMuch 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...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that insanity "cause" crime. thomas szasz, m.d., the myth of mental illness.
- Narrates the yates case for united press international. susan crump is a former prosecutor for houston.
- Explains that donald e. watson, md taught and did research in nueropsychology at uc irvine medical school.
- Argues that the hinckley case is a classic example of the 'not guilty by reason of insanity' case.
- Analyzes how the skepticism on relying on legal methods in determining an insane person's fate calculates the fact that there are extremely few insanity cases and even fewer successful ones in reality.
1267 wordsRead More - The Insanity Defenseopinion essayWhen someone commits a crime, he or she may use mental illness as a defense. This is called an insanity plea or insanity defense. What the insanity defense does is try to give the alleged perpetrator a fair trial. At least in extreme cases, society agrees with this principle. The problem is where do we draw the line. Under what circumstances is a person considered insane, and when are they not? The trouble with the insanity defense in recent years is the assumption that virtually all criminals have some sort of mental problem. One important point is that the crime itself, no matter how appalling, does not demonstrate insanity. Today, the insanity defense has become a major issue within the legal system. If the defendant is clearly out of touch with reality, the police and district attorney ordinarily agree to bypass the trial and let the defendant enter a mental hospital.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that students with low vulnerability and poor coping skills are more likely to respond maladaptively by taking a gun to school and shooting the classmates who bullied them.
- Explains how the greeks assigned a guardian to each mentally ill person for life. the m'naghten case changed the way the english viewed legal insanity.
- Analyzes how m'naghten believed it was sir robert peel he was killing.
- Describes excerpts from a book called "a treatise on the medical jurisprudence of psychiatry."
- Explains the defense case in which an acquittal was granted based on the use of "expert" testimony, not expert testimony.
- Explains that under the m'naghten rule, alleged criminals must be so disordered that they don't realize they are.
- Explains the legal system's understanding of legal insanity. under the durham rule, a defendant is not criminally responsible if the activity was "a product of mental disease or defect."
- Explains that the irresistible impulse test is the third type of test.
- Explains that an accused criminal knows right from wrong, and whether or not he or she has any right or wrong.
- Explains that in the 1970's, a plea known as "not guilty by reason of insanity" (ngri) became law.
- Recounts how john hinckley was acquitted on the grounds of mental illness.
- States that 17 states allow a newly worded verdict of "guilty but mentally ill".
- Explains that idaho and utah have abolished the plea. an alleged criminal must be convicted.
- Explains the downside of this option is that it gives very little closure to the victims’ families.
- Concludes that only the criminal knows what was really going on inside of his or her head during the incident.
- Opines that the whole reason behind the insanity defense is to make society feel protected.
- Explains kirwin, b. r., the mad, the bad, and the innocent.
- Explains that the insanity defense: unconscious impact on victims of violence was retrieved from ebsco host database (masterfile elite).
- Cites the ebsco host database (masterfile elite) on the world wide web.
- Argues that the insanity defense is a legal term, not one that is psychological or medical. the sarasons prefer to use the term "maladaptive behavior."
- Explains that the psychiatrist forms an opinion about whether or not the person knew it was wrong.
- States that the line between an irresistible impulse and an impulse not resisted is probably no sharper than that between twilight and dusk. the jones v. united states case of 1983 went all the way to the supreme court.
- Explains that the ngri defense is raised in less than one percent of felony cases, and is successful only about 25 percent.
- Explains that the prison option has been well received by the court system, and offers relief to victims’ families.
- Explains that insanity cannot be used as an independent defense to avoid the guilty verdict. if found competent to stand trial, the proceedings are carried out in the usual manner.
- Explains that the man was not responsible for murder because he carried an extra y sex chromosome.
- Describes how william kidnapped, robbed, and raped four college girls on the ohio state campus in 1978.
- Describes how the child went into a "psychological coma" to escape the abuse. he claims to have "slept" through the crimes he committed.
- Explains that the public seems to have grown weary of criminals who "play the victim" and claim to suffer some hardship that made the defense commonly used.
- Opines that confinement in a mental institution is not much different from being sent to prison.
- Opines that confinement does not guarantee that a person will be cured. it is too long to fit the crime or too short to do any good.
- Opines that the insanity defense should remain in action, because mentally ill felons do require special treatment, but it allows them the option of a fair trial.
- Opines that the insanity defense is unreliable and that it can be a useful part of our legal system if it is in complete working order.
2529 wordsRead More