Crazy but not Insane…

John Hinckley Jr. The verdict of the trial in 1982 of John Hinckley Jr. was found “not guilty” for reason of insanity. John Hinckley Jr. was convicted for his attempt in assonating President Ronald Reagan. Hinckley's signs of insanity began to appear when in 1976 he became obsessed with actress Jodi Foster after seeing her in the movie “Taxi Driver”, he spent the next few years stalking her and. In 1982 he demonstrated his love and fantasy for “Taxi Driver” by attempting to assonate the President. It is said that Hinckley’s depression could have been caused by the assignation of John Lennon. He was also arrested for possession of a gun when President Cater was visiting Nashville. Hinckley was found not guilty for reason of insanity. The verdict spread nation wide conflict on the use of the insanity defense. IN some states the insanity defense was outlawed. eytrial.html

Richard Lawrence Richard Lawrence was mentally ill as an adult, he was a painter and the exposure to the chemicals may have contributed to his illness. Richard believed that he was Richard III of England, he began to change the way he dressed as well as the way he acted. He gave up his job and claimed that there was no reason to work for the government and that president Andrew Jackson owed him large sums of money. Richard blamed Jackson for killing his father as well. Lawrence tried numerous attempts in assonating President Andrew Jackson. Lawrence was brought to trial on April 11 th 1835, after five minutes of deliberation the jury found Lawrence not guilty by reason of insanity. He was later entered into a mental institution where he remained for the rest of his life. jpg

Both the McNaughton Rule and the Durham Standard were guidelines by which a person could be legally termed insane –The Durham Standard, which was much more lenient than the strict McNaughton Rule, replaced the McNaughton Rule in the 1950s with the court case Durham v. United States /NR/rdonlyres/Political-Science/17-245Spring-2006/1991CBC3- A47C-4AEE-94D6-70A8D2BDCBB5/0/chp_suprem_court.jpg

Famous Insanity Pleas John Schrank shot President Teddy Roosevelt because he said William McKinley told him to do so in a dream Schrank was sentenced to life in an asylum after it was discovered that he was insane Daniel Sickles shot and killed a District Attorney in broad daylight in 1859 He plead that he killed the Attorney in a temporary fit of insanity The jury accepted his insanity plea, and Sickles went on to become a general in the Civil War and received the Congressional Medal of Honor

Conclusion Many famous events such as the McNaughton Rule, Durham Standard, the John Hinckley case as well as the Richard Lawrence case were all influential in court trials. The convictions of the people who were found not guilty by reason of insanity are still used today in courts in determine whether the act was merely part of their insanity. Polygraphs are used today in courts to determine the criminals underline behavior. If the victim is found not guilty by reason of insanity they are sent to mental hospitals will the remain until their illness is killed. Most of the famous insanity plea are those with the attempts of the assignations of our Presidents.

Credits Hannah: 2 History slides, Title and Conclusion Slides Derek: 2 History slides, Credits Slide James: 2 Psychology Slides Katherine: 2 Psychology Slides