Doesn't one have to be insane to murder someone?

Question

I am not referring to defensible killings, such as self defense and euthanasia. If the answer is yes, then why is there an insanity plea?

Answer 1

Legally, insanity is a measure of whether you knew something was right or wrong at the time. Yours is a philosophical question, not a legal one. You could argue that no-one in their right mind would deliberately take the life of another; but that doesn't protect them in law, unless they didn't understand that doing so was wrong.

Answer 2

lol! GREAT POINT!

I dont care what reason you use to justify killing someone, greed, jealousy, resentment... either way you've justified killing someone to yourself and that seems like an insane kind of thing to do. Slightly "sociopathic" even.

But Some like to say insanity is a rational response to an irrational situation.

***I just read up, I thought this part was funny:

"Also there are those who simply think only of themselves and have no conscience. This does not make them insane."

I think theres a psych name for the people shes describing! They are called "sociopaths!" lol!! And most of them dont think theres anything at all wrong or crazy about what they are doing because they can always justify it.

Answer 3

No, just morally corrupt.... insane just means you dont have the faculties emotionally to make any correct decisions.

Murder is a decision that is made by a person that has decided that he or she does not care about the ramifications.

Usually a murderer is also very Selfish (often times bordering on Narcissism) because not only do they not care about the person the are murdering, they dont care about all the lives they are affecting, including the people in their own families.

Answer 4

When someone pleads insanity, it implies that they did not understand the consequences of their actions...most people, when pointing a gun at someones head, know that when they pull the trigger that person will be dead and gone and that most likely they will get caught and go to jail. An insane person - or so the definition is used - would not...

Answer 5

No! most murders are committed by people that are quite sane,people murder for numerous reasons greed, hatred, are only two, but there are a few genuinely insane people who really do hear a voice telling them to do it and they need to be treated by whatever means counseling and,or,medication. The rest are just evil greedy murderers.

Answer 6

The charge of murder by itself implies brutal premeditation. A cognizant act. There is a crime of passion where people chafed in mind or what have you act out of leaving their senses. This is rare. That's why so many jump on it. Manslaughter - a seemingly inappropriate term - treats an involuntary killing. Euthanasia is murder, I think. Mercy killing I would think is a contradiction in terms.

Answer 7

There is an insanity plea because some people are, and some are not. It depends on the person. They all have different reasons.

Answer 8

people do things in "the heat of the moment" which are irrational, impulsive,or, even incredulous which are then shrugged of as a moment of insanity. this can be known as a brain storm. Lawyers know all about this and milk it for all it's worth. this makes it difficult to tell with any certainty if a person was in full control of their faculties at the time of the offence.
We all have a "heat of the moment" incident in our lives,so, does that mean wer'e all nuts?

Answer 9

nope

the data show its about the same for sane and insane

the media has skewed this. Psychokillers make good movies.

I would expect more killings by insane people since more chance of being acquitted. But nope, its the same as for any other population.

Answer 10

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