Crime and LSD: The Insanity Plea
American Journal of Psychiatry – October 01, 1969
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Legal insanity determinations can be complex, especially in homicide cases linked to LSD use. Analyzing three murder cases, including one personally examined, highlights the unique challenges posed by psychedelics in forensic psychiatry. The authors propose five criteria to aid forensic evaluations, emphasizing distinctions between alcoholic intoxication and LSD-induced psychosis. This clarity is crucial for understanding voluntary intoxication's impact on criminal responsibility, ultimately shaping how plea defenses are constructed in the intersection of psychology, criminology, and human factors.
Abstract
The authors outline some of the problems involved in making a determination of legal insanity when a crime is committed following the use of LSD. Three cases of murder known to be associated with the use of LSD are described, one of them involving an individual examined personally by the authors. Five specific criteria that the authors have found to be useful aids in forensic examinations of such cases are offered. Finally, the differences between alcoholic intoxication and LSD-induced psychosis are discussed to help clarify the issue of voluntary intoxication in regard to criminal responsibility.