Question

A legal claim by a defendant that he or she did not understand the difference between right and wrong because they were suffering from a disease or mental defect is known as ________?

1) Insanity defense
2) Self-defense
3) Mistake of fact
4) Duress

Answer 1

The legal claim made by a defendant that they did not understand the difference between right and wrong due to a disease or mental defect is known as the insanity defense.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer to the question is 1) Insanity defense.

In legal terms, the claim made by a defendant that they did not understand the difference between right and wrong due to a disease or mental defect is known as the insanity defense. This defense is used to argue that the defendant should not be held criminally liable for their actions because they lacked the mental capacity to understand the consequences of their behavior. The insanity defense is a complex legal concept that varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and it is typically evaluated by expert testimony and evidence of the defendant's mental state.

For example, in the famous case of John Hinckley Jr., who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, his defense team argued that he was not guilty by reason of insanity. They presented evidence that Hinckley was suffering from several mental disorders, including schizophrenia, at the time of the crime.