Section 54-89a - Court to inform jury on consequences of a finding of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

CT Gen Stat § 54-89a (2019) (N/A)

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If the court instructs the jury on a defense of mental disease or defect raised pursuant to section 53a-13, it shall, unless the defendant affirmatively objects, inform the jury of the consequences for the defendant if he is found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and of the confinement and release provisions of sections 17a-580 to 17a-602, inclusive, applicable to a person found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

(P.A. 81-301, S. 3; P.A. 83-486, S. 6; P.A. 85-506, S. 30, 32.)

History: P.A. 83-486 replaced provision re court instructing jury “on the absence of criminal responsibility of a defendant on the grounds of mental disease or defect” with instruction “on a defense of mental disease or defect raised pursuant to section 53a-13”, and replaced “a finding of guilty but not criminally responsible” with a finding of “not guilty by reason” of mental disease or defect; P.A. 85-506 replaced reference to repealed Sec. 53a-47 with sections 17-257a to 17-257w, inclusive.

Cited. 208 C. 125; 230 C. 183.

Cited. 10 CA 50. Section enacted in derogation of common law and is to be construed narrowly; court's instructions satisfied section where effect was to inform jury of consequences of a successful insanity defense and to allay jurors' fears that defendant could be released while a danger to society. 50 CA 312.

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