“Not Guilty” And Pleading Insanity
How does pleading “not guilty by reason of insanity” work?
Denver criminal defense attorney Doug Richards talks about pleads of not guilty by reason of insanity, and how they can turn a case around. He is an experienced criminal defense attorney who understands the difference between a simple “not guilty” plea and an insanity plea, and is able to handle both types of cases.
“This morning, June 4, 2013, the judge in the Holmes, the Aurora Theater shooting case, has accepted a not guilty by reason of insanity plea by the defense. Now previously the court had entered just a straight not guilty plea in order to start the speedy trial to begin the litigation process in this case. Now that the court has accepted the not guilty by reason of insanity plea a number of other deadlines pop up, but what’s important to remember now is that the prosecution has to disprove the insanity plea. It’s not the defense’s requirement to prove the client is insane, it’s now the prosecution’s. They now have the burden of disproving insanity as a defense.”