State v. Johnson
Supreme Court of Rhode Island
399 A.2d 469 (1979)
Relevant factsFree
Bruce Johnson (defendant) was charged with murder, kidnapping, and assault and battery with intent to commit rape against a 14-year-old girl. He pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury found him sane and convicted him, and he appealed, asking Rhode Island's supreme court to abandon the traditional M'Naghten insanity test in favor of a new standard.
IssueFree
Whether a person is criminally responsible if, due to mental disease or defect, his capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct or to conform his conduct to the law was so substantially impaired that he cannot justly be held responsible.