Madness on Trial: The History of the Insanity Defense

For centuries, courts have wrestled with one impossible question: does madness excuse murder?

From Daniel M’Naghten and his delusions about the British government to John Hinckley Jr. and his attempt to win Jodie Foster’s heart by shooting Ronald Reagan, the history of the insanity defense is full of strange crimes, stranger logic, and some truly bizarre courtroom battles.

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