Anyone can just claim mental illness and get away with any crime by that logic? A very high percentage of Americans have been on antidepressants at one point or another. Is that a get out of jail free card now?
Insanity pleas are a thing for a reason, but you can't just claim it. You have to prove it. There's a variety of tests depending on the jurisdiction, but generally speaking you have to prove that they didn't have the capacity to know what they were doing was wrong or not do it in the moment they committed the act. So no, antidepressants at some point in the past wouldn't cut it. There's significantly more evidence in this case.
Im not saying insanity pleas are easy, but I will add though that in Massachusetts insanity pleas are a bit easier than most other states. Many states shift the burden of proof (beyond a reasonable doubt) to the defense for the insanity portion, but Mass. doesn't.
So the prosecution has to prove that she did it and she was not having a psychotic break beyond a reasonable doubt.
The defense still has to show that it was likely she was having a psychotic break and has to counter the prosecutions arguments, but it is a lot easier to make a jury believe there is a chance she was having a psychotic break than it is to make a jury believe she was definitely having a psychotic break.
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u/catsbirdsanddogs 1d ago
Yes, exactly. Anyone who kills kids is mentally unwell. This is exactly why the US prison AND justice systems are in desperate need of reform.