seniors aging gracefully

When I was a forensic psychologist I was occasionally asked to evaluate people who were seeking this defense. To qualify for this defense, one must have a severe mental disease of defect and due to this condition, the defendant was unable to know the wrongfulness of their actions.

It is a hard defense to win and rightfully so as many folks who commit horrible acts try desperately to find some way to get out of going to prison.

Once I evaluated a young man who had a long history of bipolar disorder who, while in a psychotic state, had this belief that his neighbor was tampering with his internet so he went to the neighbor’s home and trashed it. In my report, I agreed that he qualified for this defense. However, he decided to take a plea bargain knowing that it is a hard plea to win.

Does Rob Reiner’s son qualify for this defense. First I am doubtful that he had a severe mental illness when he killed his parents, it is likely that his drug use played a major role. And did he know the wrongfulness of his actions, I think so.

There were many interesting folks I evaluated that were seeking this defense. Some were just evil people. And there was a man who I evaluated who killed his wife after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. By the time I saw him, he was in the end stages of the disease and was not competent to stand trial.