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In reply to the discussion: Subway push suspect laughs [View all]slackmaster
(60,567 posts)45. You have just illustrated a common misunderstanding regarding mental illness and the law
Under criminal law, a person can be mentally ill and still accountable for his or her actions.
A person who is mentally incompetent may not be accountable, because he or she doesn't understand the concept of right and wrong. Mental incompetence can result from many different things including low intelligence, dementia (e.g. Alzheimer's), and some forms of mental illness such as schizophrenia.
People with severe personality disorders - Borderline, Narcissistic, Antisocial, etc. - are generally considered to be mentally competent. Prisons are full of such individuals. They get no special consideration at trial or in sentencing.
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guess i'm not clear on why it should be obvious there is no mental illness at play here....
unblock
Dec 2012
#3
Yeh, but "not right" and "mentally sick" does NOT mean she didn't know it was wrong.
Bucky
Dec 2012
#11
I agree, she could just be a sociopath who knew exactly what she was doing
TwilightGardener
Dec 2012
#15
You have just illustrated a common misunderstanding regarding mental illness and the law
slackmaster
Jan 2013
#45
Many people do awful things because they think it is "cool".. and they are not mentally ill.
secondwind
Dec 2012
#5
Here is the NYT story that wan't up yet when I posted this she has a mental past!!!!
Omaha Steve
Dec 2012
#7
Thank you for this. Have a relative who needs monitoring but doesn't get it because when is good
uppityperson
Dec 2012
#10
So, you're advocating incarceration for people not actually convicted of any crime?
Denninmi
Dec 2012
#32
There is a pretty big difference between "potential" and "ticking time bomb"
Sen. Walter Sobchak
Dec 2012
#39
Maybe because she has a history of violence towards others and not taking medication?
Marrah_G
Dec 2012
#34