Psychology 2990A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: John Wayne Gacy, Robert Pickton, Paul Bernardo

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2990A/B
• Professor: Doug Hazelwood

Document Summary

Q: how do we know whether a person is fit or unfit to stand trial: legal standards for determining fitness, prior to 1836: ability to enter a plea (a plea of guilty or not guilty) Reasons for not entering a plea: (cid:862)(cid:373)ute of (cid:373)ali(cid:272)e(cid:863) (cid:894)deli(cid:271)e(cid:396)atel(cid:455) sile(cid:374)t(cid:895) if so, can use torture to extract a plea (cid:862)mute (cid:271)(cid:455) (cid:448)isitatio(cid:374) of god(cid:863) (cid:894)e. g. , deaf, (cid:373)ute, i(cid:374)sa(cid:374)e(cid:895) If so, person should not be tried: r. v. pritchard (1836): charged with bestiality. Also a deaf-(cid:373)ute, so (cid:272)ould(cid:374)"t e(cid:374)te(cid:396) plea; (cid:272)ould(cid:374)"t (cid:271)e t(cid:396)ied fo(cid:396) the (cid:272)(cid:396)i(cid:373)e. Court establishes clearer legal standard: able to enter a plea, and, must ha(cid:448)e (cid:862)suffi(cid:272)ie(cid:374)t i(cid:374)telle(cid:272)t(cid:863) to u(cid:374)de(cid:396)sta(cid:374)d p(cid:396)o(cid:272)eedi(cid:374)gs. Ca(cid:374)ada"s fit(cid:374)ess sta(cid:374)da(cid:396)d fo(cid:396) (cid:374)e(cid:454)t (cid:1005)(cid:1009)(cid:1010) (cid:455)ea(cid:396)s (cid:894)till (cid:1005)99(cid:1006)(cid:895: ca(cid:374)ada"s bill c 30 (1992): changed section 2 of criminal code. Disorder interferes with ability to conduct a defence. Unable (b/c of mental disorder) to: understand nature and object of proceedings, understand possible consequences, communicate with counsel.