The laws around disassociation? ?

Question

if someone disassociates (basically having two personalities- one of which you have no control over, but it is temporary)and then goes and hits someone while they have no control can they be held accountable?

Answer 1

the law can order both personalities to be hospitalised  

Answer 2

Disassociation is not the same as split personality schizophrenia, an extremely rare condition. A person who is dissociative is in a state where they cannot remember their actions for a period of time, this is not a split personality, but a state of repressed/blocked out higher reasoning capabilities, often due to a traumatic event/experience. The law concerning this kind of defense is gray at best, as is the psychological evidence that this condition even exists, especially since mental health officials can't agree on anything. The mitigating factors of a mental illness do not apply if there is not a mental illness/defect impairing determination of right from wrong. With all that being said, a jury most likely doesn't know any of that, but to even present that as a defense a judge must allow that which will require a psych exam. There are experts who specialize in disassociation, however if this is a simple assault case it hardly seems worth the cost. These kinds of defenses are extremely hard to prove, since severely mentally ill people with long term conditions often end up in jail rather then a mental institution.      

Answer 3

Generally that would fall under the insanity defense and the person would be put in a mental hospital.

Answer 4

nana is right there bleeding nutters and should be put away and not released by these liberal minded doogooders too murder