How Mental Illness Can Affect Murder Charges and Sentencing

In some criminal cases, the defendant’s mental state may directly impact whether they can be tried or convicted of a crime. Mental health status can also impact sentencing. Criminal cases involving mental illness are extremely complex, which is why having a board-certified attorney from The Criminal Defense Team is essential. 

What Is the Insanity Defense?

Our justice system centers around punishing individuals who break the law. However, the insanity defense argues that a person’s mental state should affect their responsibility for the act. 

To show that a defendant should not be held criminally culpable, the bar is rather high. The insanity defense requires showing that severe mental illness made it so the defendant was unable to understand the nature of their actions or know the difference between right and wrong.

The defendant must be unable to appreciate the consequences of their actions at the time they committed the crime. 

The defendant cannot simply claim that they were mentally insane. They must meet legal standards. The defendant bears the burden of proof of proving the insanity defense in a murder charge or any other criminal case. The proof must be by the preponderance of the evidence. An expert witness will need to testify that they meet these standards after evaluating them. 

Competency to Stand Trial

Before a criminal trial begins, the court may evaluate whether the defendant is mentally competent to stand trial, meaning that they understand the charges against them and can assist in their defense. Again, this can involve the use of experts who evaluate the defendant. 

If the court determines that the defendant is not competent to stand trial, it may delay the trial until the defendant is deemed fit. 

Mental Illness as a Mitigating Factor 

In some criminal cases, the defendant may be competent to stand trial, and the insanity defense may not apply. Nonetheless, mental illness can still impact the case. While not a complete defense, a person’s mental state could reduce their level of responsibility for the crime. This is referred to as an impaired mental state or diminished capacity. 

Criminal cases involve both an actus reus and mens rea. Actus reus refers to the physical act involved in a crime, while mens rea refers to the mental state.

If a person’s mental health affected their ability to think clearly, this could justify reducing the charges or penalties. For example, murder in Indiana is defined as knowingly or intentionally killing another human being.

Mental illness could have prevented the defendant from knowingly committing the act or forming intent. The defendant might be charged with voluntary manslaughter instead, which typically involves the same set of facts of murder but involves a sudden heat of passion that mitigates the offense. 

Contact The Criminal Defense Team Today 

Mental health issues can play a crucial part in a murder case, but you must be able to effectively argue how these matters affect criminal culpability.

The board-certified criminal trial specialists at The Criminal Defense Team of Baldwin Perry & Wiley PC know the strict legal requirements that are necessary to have a defendant found incompetent to stand trial, to apply the insanity defendant, or to reduce criminal penalties.

Each case is different, highlighting the need to work with a legal team that can develop a personalized legal strategy for you. Contact us today at (317) 743-3295 to schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your particular situation.