People v. Carpenter
Supreme Court of Michigan
627 N.W.2d 276 (2001)
Relevant factsFree
Carpenter (defendant) broke into a home brandishing a gun, fired shots, and assaulted the occupants before being arrested after a standoff; at his bench trial for home invasion and assault with intent to commit murder, a defense psychologist testified Carpenter suffered from drug-induced brain damage and diminished capacity at the time, but the trial court rejected this defense, convicting him of home invasion while the jury acquitted on the attempted-murder counts. Carpenter appealed, and the court of appeals affirmed rejection of the diminished-capacity defense.
IssueFree
Whether a defendant can raise diminished capacity as an affirmative defense to negate the specific-intent element of a crime.