Laws Of The Land

April, 1984

Reading various legal journals, I note that our enlightened lawmakers continue to plead for the adoption of the "guilty but insane" verdict. That's so they can send an insane defendant to a mental institution until he can appreciate what's happening when they electrocute him. I know a lawyer who is suggesting similar pleadings in other areas of the criminal law. He recommends such pleas as "guilty but has a broken leg" (for the clumsy second-story burglar), "guilty but h...