Description
The book traces the history of the diminished responsibility defence. Devised originally as a means of escape from the mandatory death penalty for murder, it is now retained as a means of escape from the mandatory life sentence. The research showed how some very weak cases succeeded because doctors, prosecution, and judges were all anxious to avoid the life sentence that must follow a conviction for murder. The author argues that there would be substantial benefits form abolishing the mandatory life sentence for murder and that, if that were done, the diminished responsibility defence could also be abolished.
