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M'Naughton Tests
A man by the name of Daniel M'Naughten was arrested for murdering the secretary to the Prime Minister. He was let off due to witnesses 'confirming' that he was insane. There was a reviewing of the case and was said that it would qualify the person insane if they didn't know that their actions were wrong at the time of doing so. Used until 1998 ad 25 states and district of Columbia -
"Durham Test"
This was an attempt to bring in an alternative way to determine if a person is really insane or "mentally defective" through science. This was riddled with loopholes for those who knew what it was. If it were applied, people would have tried to use simple mental disorders such as Social Anxiety for a reason to get out of what they did -
The A.L.I. Standard
The American Law Institute (A.L.I.) created a new standard where the M'Naughten rule and the "Irresistable Impulse" are combined to maake sure the person is "insane" -
John Hinckley
This man was supposedly going through trying to impress a star of entertainment by killing a few people, mainly president Regan. Was acquitted of 13 kills and not guilty by insanity -
Insanity Defense Reform Act
People were outraged by the Hinckley verdict so there was a change to the Insanity Defense plea. It was more modified to resemble the M'Naughton test -
"Policeman at Elbow"
This was an addition to the revised version of the M'Naughton test which addresses the factor of irresistable impulses. This would check to see if the person in question would still act out if there's a policeman at their elbow, also knowing that the act is wrong -
"Guilty but Mentally Ill"
By the year 2000, 20 states had adopted this new form of sentencing for those who claimed they were "insane". If the person really is "insane", then they will be sentenced to serve time anyway, and not be fully acquitted, and once their symptoms are remitted, they servetime in a regular correctional facility