West Virginia Code 15-1E-50a – Defense of lack of mental responsibility
(a) It is an affirmative defense in a trial by court-martial that, at the time of the commission of the acts constituting the offense, the accused, as a result of a severe mental disease or defect, was unable to appreciate the nature and quality or the wrongfulness of the acts. Mental disease or defect does not otherwise constitute a defense.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 15-1E-50a
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- military judge: means an official of a general or special court-martial detailed in accordance with section twenty-six of this article. See West Virginia Code 15-1E-1
- Offense: includes every act or omission for which a fine, forfeiture, or punishment is imposed by law. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
- officer: means a commissioned or warrant officer. See West Virginia Code 15-1E-1
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(b) The accused has the burden of proving the defense of lack of mental responsibility by clear and convincing evidence.
(c) Whenever lack of mental responsibility of the accused with respect to an offense is properly at issue, the military judge shall instruct the members of the court as to the defense of lack of mental responsibility under this section and charge them to find the accused:
(1) Guilty;
(2) Not guilty; or
(3) Not guilty only by reason of lack of mental responsibility.
(d) Subsection (c) does not apply to a court-martial composed of a military judge only. In the case of a court-martial composed of a military judge only or a summary court-martial officer, whenever lack of mental responsibility of the accused with respect to an offense is properly at issue, the military judge or summary court-martial officer shall find the accused:
(1) Guilty;
(2) Not guilty; or
(3) Not guilty only by reason of lack of mental responsibility.
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of section fifty-two of this article, the accused shall be found not guilty only by reason of lack of mental responsibility if:
(1) A majority of the members of the court-martial present at the time the vote is taken determines that the defense of lack of mental responsibility has been established; or
(2) In the case of a court-martial composed of a military judge only or a summary court-martial officer, the military judge or summary court-martial officer determines that the defense of lack of mental responsibility has been established.