THE INSANITY PLEA IN THE CASE OF A SERIAL KILLER

The authors comment on society's approach to criminal responsibility i n the past and at Present, and on the M'Naghten, the Durham, and the A merican Law Institute definitions of legal sanity. Some statistical st udies concerning the frequency and success of the insanity plea in the United States are reported. The recent case of a serial killer, exami ned by the first author for the assessment of his legal sanity prior t o h is trial for fifteen homicides, is reported. Th is case raises ins anity plea issues that fall outside the current American Law Institute Insanity definition and the authors feel that it might contribute to further insanity plea reassessment in the years ahead.