All I can say about the Yates verdict is that I think the new one is much more appropriate than the old. Family history doesn't allow me to be impartial on this subject, but the "not guilty by reason of insanity" verdict was the better of the options available. Illinois is one of the states that have a "Guilty but insane" option, which I personally think would have been a better result, but sad to say it's not very common across the US.

If this woman ever does regain her sanity can you imagine what it will be like for her to live with the memory of killing her children. The whole thing is very upsetting.

I can't even imagine. Joe's cousin had had to not only been on his anti-psychotic meds, but he's had to be heavily AD'd because once he remebered what he had done, he was suicidal.

Andrea Yate's story isn't even the most horrific. This woman was found not guilty by reason of insanity as well. I think it was pretty obvious, but the jury deadlocked on the verdict. It wasn't until medical testing revealed a brain tumor that she was found not guilty.

IIRC, a study found that on average a commitment for mental illness will last longer than a plea bargain prison sentence or even one handed out by a jury. So it's a defense that will only be reluctantly pursued by a responsible lawyer, when they're convinced their client is, basically, stark raving and really needs regular medication, etc..

Don't even get me started on the horribleness of executing persons who have become so mentally ill that they have to be medicated just to be aware they're being killed.

IIRC, a study found that on average a commitment for mental illness will last longer than a plea bargain prison sentence or even one handed out by a jury.

Merely anecdotal and not a study, but anyone else remember how upset people got when John Hinkley was found Not Guilty by reason of Insanity for shooting at Reagan? Note he's still in.

And the system let down Andrea Yates long before the children died. I get angry at Rusty because he was in the best position to do something, and he just made it worse.

Merely anecdotal and not a study, but anyone else remember how upset people got when John Hinkley was found Not Guilty by reason of Insanity for shooting at Reagan? Note he's still in.

yeah, but they keep trying to let him out. And the "unsupervised visit' bit is getting old.

Interesting similarities here, from that (horrific) article:

The defense faulted Schlosser's husband for not getting her adequate mental health treatment and also blamed [her pastor], who believes only God can cure mental illness.

Heh. More proof that organized religion is BAD.

All hail the flying spaghetti monster!

That Hinckley verdict led to lots of so-called insanity defense "reform."

ION, overheard in the office reminded me of ita today:

Office grunt #1: I hate all these fucking meetings!
Office grunt #2: Didn't you set this meeting up?
Office grunt #1: Yeah, but that's not the point.

One of Rosalynn Carter's big causes [link] is the de-stigmatization of mental illness, which more and more seems like the root of so many avoidable tragedies.