Was Jim Adkisson insane?

[ck4829]

Jim Adkisson, the man who murdered 2 Unitarian Universalists in a liberal church recently, is going to try to say he was insane at the time of the shooting.

However, there is plenty of evidence that Adkisson was not driven by insanity, and was instead of driven by malice, and had even planned for the assault a month ahead.

The evidence:
He wrote his suicide note blaming liberals for everything that is wrong a week before the attack
He expected to be taken down by the police
He bought the shotgun used in the attack a month before
He bought the guitar case that was used to conceal his shotgun two days before the attack

There is no doubt that Adkisson knew what he was doing.

[NightWatcher]

1. darn that whole "intent" thing. Murder 101: intent+act=premeditated murder

[Gman]

2. Depends on what one considers "knew what he was doing"

It could be argued that he had the "insane" notion to go do this because of liberals and he devised his plan from there. The things you list are part of the "insane" notion. The ability to devise and carry out a plan does not imply someone is sane.

[treestar]

3. He didn't have a good grip on reality

Which could have a lot to do with it.

There will probably be psychiatrists on both sides saying the opposite.

If the prosecution can prove he planned to take his own life or get shot by police, if that was his intent, it may show a consciousness of wrong. Insanity in general legal terms is not appreciating that the act is wrong. I believe there will be a lot of evidence that he hated liberals, and that evidence may show that he know that what he planned to do was wrong.

It's where your dog tells you to do it, or God tells you to do it, where you can claim you did not understand that the act was wrong.

[NightWatcher]

6. in the law's eyes, Hate is not a mental defect, but a mitigating factor that might get him executed

[SteelPenguin]

4. Here's what I understand about insanity defense

If you intend to do it and plan it (the suicide note indicates that this was planned) and know that it's wrong (ie knowing that the police would show up to kill you indicates you know what you're about to do is wrong) you are gonna have a hell of a time using insanity as a defense.

In my opinion anyone who would do this is by definition insane, but there's a difference between being insane and being found not-guilty by reason of insanity. This guy knew what he was doing, planned it, and knew it was 'wrong'. Lock him up.

[islandmkl]

5. i would suggest to mr. adkisson that the whole legal notion of an 'insanity defense'..

stems from a 'liberal' interpretation of law & crime...

surely, he would not want to invoke any liberal viewpoints at this stage in his life....would he??