Multiple personality Disorder A Defense for Murder
Many people on criminal trials over the years have claimed that they have multiple personality disorder, or in other words have pleaded insanity. ... This hysterical neurosis, called multiple personality disorder (sometimes called dissociative personality disorder) occurs when the personality becomes dissociated into two or more distinct but complex and socially and behaviorally integrated parts each of which becomes dominant and controls behavior from time to time to the exclusion of the others. Should a person who has multiple personality disorder be sent to prison if they have no control over their other personalities actions? The matter of having multiple personalities inside one individual’s head has been especially controversial and widely scrutinized. Over time many professionals have questioned the very existence of the disorder all together, thinking that it is all just an act or scheme (a brilliant or even genius one at that) for criminals to get out of being convicted of the crime that they committed and sentenced to jail time for their actions. In actual fact this disorder does exist and there are people who suffer from it. The exact cause of multiple personality disorder is not known but 97% of the patients with this disorder were abused during their childhood. Is it rational to choose whether or not someone should be convicted of a crime if they suffer from the mental mayhem of multiple personality disorder? Is the defense of multiple personality disorder, or even insanity for that matter, a defense for murder? ... How often does this defense actually prove to be valid? Is there an accurate way to test or prove that someone has multiple personality disorder or insanity? Should everybody who commits murder be punished, or should they be dealt with accordingly? I believe that a person with multiple personality disorder, who has an alter that commits a murder should be found guilty of their actions, but confined to an asylum where they can be treated for their mental illness rather than sent to jail. When the defense of multiple personality disorder is used is it always truthful? ... As he had already denied that he had anything to do with the murders of two women he was on trial for, he was inspired by a movie he recently saw, Sybil- in which the star was a schizophrenic suffering from multiple personalities. ... Watkins arrived for the interview Bianchi was ready for him, he ‘revealed’ his evil personality Steve Walker and Steve confessed killing the two girls and the rest of the Hillside Strangler murders.