diminished capacity
- An unusual mental state that makes a person incapable of creating the specific intent needed to commit a crime, such as first-degree murder, but does not rise to the level of insanity
- A legal defense strategy that revolves around the assertion of diminished capacity
- The principle suggesting that a reduced mental capacity can invalidate an aspect of a crime
- The lawyer argued that their client could not form the intent necessary to commit a major crime due to diminished capacity.
- Diminished capacity was introduced as a defense during the trial, asserting that the defendant wasn't in a normal state of mind when committing the alleged act.
- The judge explained the concept of diminished capacity during the jury instructions, detailing how it could negate a key element of the charged crime.
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