What legal ruling established that defendants can be acquitted of a crime if it is proven that during the act of the crime the individual did not know the nature of his or her actions or did not know that what he or she was doing was wrong?

Question

Deshawn Shelton

Social Studies

10 December, 07:01

What legal ruling established that defendants can be acquitted of a crime if it is proven that during the act of the crime the individual did not know the nature of his or her actions or did not know that what he or she was doing was wrong?

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Answers (1)

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Atticus Medina · Answer 1

M'Naghten Rule was the legal rule established.

Explanation:

The M'Naghten Rule suggests the legal rule of deeming the defendant innocent of a crime if it is proven that during the act of the crime the individual didn't know the nature of his/her actions. This is also possible if she didn't know it was wrong.

The rule suggests testing whether the accused was sane at the time of wrongdoing. If the person was sane then he will be charged with the legal procedures. But if not, the accused is spared. Basically, the rule is a test of the criminal's sanity.