PSYC 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Actus Reus, Mental Disorder, Psychological Trauma

• School: McGill University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 100
• Professor: Jens C Pruessner

Document Summary

Chapter 8 criminal defences accused found guilty only if the crown can prove that the crime was actually commited with the guilty mind. Three possible arguments: deny that they commitee the act, they can argue that they lacked criminal intent or guilty mind, they can argue that they have a valid excuse for what happened while commiing the act. Alibi defence: a defence that the accused was not that the scene of the crime when it took place. Best defence in court as it places the accused somewhere else while the ofence occurred. R v. maracle (girl is sexually assaulted but does not see the accused, the accused states that he is at home at the ime of the incident, court rules that there is error and orders a new trial) Not menioned in the criminal code but has developed over ime through common law. Deined as automaic funcioning without conscious efort or control .