Andrea Yates
Mar. 12th, 2002 10:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
days_unfoldingDamn it. I just saw the guilty verdict for Andrea Yates. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.
I've thought about the trial a lot (natch), but don't have enough resources right now to do much beyond swear and shake at this particular moment.
I'm not surprised. Given the way that the legal definition of insanity is written, I don't think that anyone could get an insanity verdict. (In fact, I would like to know of the circumstances of a case that resulted in an insanity verdict after the definition of insanity was rewritten.) Even the deepest and most incurably psychotic person understands some rules and can be influenced by reward and punishment. So, for that matter, does my cat, but I don't believe that my cat has the reasoning powers of a sane human being, nor should be held to the same standards of a sane human being.
I believe that justice has not been served in this case thus far.
I've thought about the trial a lot (natch), but don't have enough resources right now to do much beyond swear and shake at this particular moment.
I'm not surprised. Given the way that the legal definition of insanity is written, I don't think that anyone could get an insanity verdict. (In fact, I would like to know of the circumstances of a case that resulted in an insanity verdict after the definition of insanity was rewritten.) Even the deepest and most incurably psychotic person understands some rules and can be influenced by reward and punishment. So, for that matter, does my cat, but I don't believe that my cat has the reasoning powers of a sane human being, nor should be held to the same standards of a sane human being.
I believe that justice has not been served in this case thus far.
