State v. Cooper

Eugene Raymond Cooper (defendant) led police on a high-speed chase, shot a pursuing officer, kidnapped a man at gunpoint, and was apprehended after a crash. At trial, Cooper raised an insanity defense, and his psychiatric experts testified that he would have been sane but for several days of amphetamine use before the crimes. The trial judge found this testimony did not raise a genuine issue of insanity and refused to let the jury consider it or receive any insanity instructions. Cooper was convicted of kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon and appealed.