Matter Over Mind

Matter Over Mind

There are many emotions from many different people when someone chooses to take another person’s life regardless of the reasons. The laws are put into place to offer as much fairness to all involved. The article A Matter Over Mind discusses a case involving a police officer who was murdered by a young man who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. This is complicated due to the defendant’s mental illness. What determines whether he should go to prison or be institutionalized and treated for his illness?
A mental illness does not automatically mean the acceptance of a plea of insanity. The M’Naughten rule is what helps distinguish the difference between mental illness and insanity. The difference is dependent on whether the defendant clearly knows the distinction between right and wrong. This of course could not apply to a crime committed under the influence of alcohol. Consuming alcohol is a choice and the responsibility of the person making the choice to drink. A mental illness such as schizophrenia is not a choice for those who suffer from it.
Rational and guilty: This is a term used to describe a person who understood completely that their actions were wrong but went ahead with them anyway.
Guilty but insane: This is a term used to describe a person who knew their actions were wrong but were unable to stop the action due to a mental illness.
Guilty by reason of insanity: This is a term used to describe a person who was so severely affected by a mental illness that they were unable to distinguish between right or wrong.
Personally, if I had to decide the outcome of this case it would be one of the most difficult decisions I would ever make. Clearly Mr. Clark is mentally ill, however his own statements and actions make it clear he was aware that what he was doing was wrong. I would be more apt to send him to prison based on that evidence. Mr. Clark needs serious treatment for schizophrenia, unfortunately prison will not be the place for him to receive...