State v. McVey
Iowa Supreme Court
376 N.W.2d 585 (1985)
Donald Lee McVey (defendant) escaped from a state prison farm with a companion, stole a car, and was caught after a high-speed police chase. He was charged with second-degree theft (exercising control over the stolen car) and attempting to elude police. Before trial, McVey gave notice he intended to raise diminished responsibility as a defense; the prosecution moved to strike the defense as inapplicable to the crimes charged, and the trial court agreed. McVey was convicted and appealed.
Whether, in Iowa, a defense of diminished responsibility requires proof that the defendant's mental condition left him unable to form the specific intent required for a particular offense, such that the defense does not extend to general-intent crimes.