Since the passage of the Insanity Defense Reform Act, the burden of proof lies on the defendant rather than the government. 'Competency to stand' does not have anything to do with guilt or innocence and should not be confused with the insanity defense. When a person is found incompetent to stand trial, he/she is usually hospitalized for treatment until they are competent to stand trial. A person can be found incompetent if he/she is diagnosed as being mentally ill, senile or suffering from some other debility that does not allow him/her to manage their own affairs. Competency to Stand TrialĪ criminal defendant must be competent to stand trial, or must understand the proceedings against them and be able to assist with their defense. You can also check out the National Institute of Mental Health's website if you wish to learn more facts that could prove relevant to your case. NAMI is a grassroots organization of individuals and families whose lives are affected by mental illness.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |