PSYC39H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Actus Reus, Mental Disorder, Mens Rea
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Wei luo: pirelli, gottdiener and zapf figured that the greater proportion of incompetent defendants were diagnosed with a psychotic disorder compared to those who were competent. Incompetent defendants were more likely to maintain employment and had more serious mental illness than competent defendants: more african american defendants were found incompetent compared with caucasian defendants. Mental state at time of offence recommend to a court about this. Ncrmd and should be in psych hospital instead. It can also be raised if defendant says they are ill and crown wants to fight it. Automatism: automatism someone that is unconscious, have involuntary behaviour such that the person committing the act is not aware of what they are doing, e. g. Kenneth parks drove to his parents in law house and stabbed them, drove to the station and turned himself self in: he was sleepwalking which is his form of automatism and innocent, r. v.
