The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1907-02-07
BILL TO SEND INSANE
MURDERERS TO PRISON
ACQUITTAL OF CHESTER THOMP.
SON RESULTS IN DRAFTING
OF MEASURE PROVIDING
INSANE FARD

of the trial at Tacoma OF Chester
Thompson for the murder at Seattle
of Judge G. Meade Emory practically
assures the passage of the bill intro
duced in the senate by Senator
Graves providing for the establish
ment of an insane ward at the state
penitentiary, and the confinement
therein of persons charged with the
commitment of a crime and found
not guilty because of inasnity The
bill has already passed the senate and
went to the house yesterday, where
| it was referred to the judiciary COM
mittee.
The Graves bill is senate bill No.
So, and it was passed by the senate
Saturday practically as introduced
by it's author. 1t is bill of 10 Sec
tions, and is entitled "An acr RI Rting
to the criminally insane, their trial,
commitment and custody
Section l provides that any person
who shall have committed a crime
while insane, or in condition of
mental irresponsibility, and in whom
such condition continues to exist,
shall be deemed criminally insane.
The Defense is Outlined.
Section provides that when it is
desired to interpose plea Of insan-
ity on behalf of anyone charged with
a crime, his counsel shall at the time
Of pleading set up in writing Cd the
mental irresponsibility of the ac-
cused at the time of the commit
ment of the crime; CD whether such
condition stiff Still eexfscs; oI rs whether
the defendant has become sane since
the commission of the crime.
Section provides that if the plea
of mental irresponsibility be inter-
posed and evidence upon it given, the
court shall instruct the jury that in
case of acquittal it shall also return
special verdicts finding, % whether
the defendant committed the crime,
| (2) if so whether they acquit him
because of insanity at the time of its
commission, CD whether the insanity
continues to exist at the time of the
trial, and (4) if the condition does
not still exist, whether it is likely to
lrecur, rendering the accused danger
Gus to be at large.
Section provides that if the jury
find in special verdict that the de-
fendant committed the crime charg-
| ed, that he is acquitted because of in
senity, that he has recovered and is
not likely to suffer a relapse he shall
be discharged. If the jury finds that
the defendant committed the crime,
that he is acquitted because of in
sanity at the time of it's commission
and that the insanity still lexists or
| is likely to recur, rendering the 40
| cused an unsafe person to be at large.
the court shall render judgement in
accordance Herewith, and shall order
the accused person confined as a
criminally insane person until such
time as he shall be thereafter dis
charged
How They May Gain Reelase.
! Section 6 provides that whenever
any person committed as criminally
insane SHALL claim to have become
sane. and safe to be permitted to go
at large, he may present a a'petition
| o the court that committed him, the
petition to be served on the prosecut-
ing attorney, who shall resist it in a
trial similar to trials in other cases.
Such petition must be verified by the
state alienist after examination, who
shall certify that there is reasonable
cause to- believe that the accused has
recovered. The sole cause to be tried
out shall be whether the person pc
ltitioning has become a safe person to
be at large, and trial shall be by jury
If the jury shall find that such il
the case he shall be discharged, 9TH
erwise he shall be remanded to Gus
ttody. Either party may appeal to the
supreme court, but a judgement oil
remission shall be conclusive at the
ils