322.0505 Article 50a — Defense of mental disease or defect.

(1) The accused has an affirmative defense of mental disease or defect in a trial by court-martial if, at the time of the commission of the acts constituting the offense, the accused, as a result of a mental disease or defect, lacked substantial capacity either to appreciate the wrongfulness of his or her conduct or to conform his or her conduct to the requirements of the law. Mental disease or defect does not otherwise constitute a defense.

(2) The accused has the burden of proving the defense of mental disease or defect to a reasonable certainty by the greater weight of the credible evidence.

(3) Whenever lack of mental disease or defect of the accused with respect to an offense is properly at issue, the military judge shall instruct the members of the military court as to the defense of mental disease or defect under this section and charge them to find the accused any one of the following:

(a) Guilty.

(b) Not guilty.

(c) Not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

(4) Subsection (3) does not apply to a court-martial composed of a military judge only. In the case of a court-martial composed of a military judge only or a summary court-martial officer, whenever mental disease or defect of the accused with respect to an offense is properly at issue, the military judge or summary court-martial officer shall find the accused any one of the following:

(a) Guilty.

(b) Not guilty.

(c) Not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

(5) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 322.052, the accused shall be found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect if any of the following apply:

(a) A majority of the members of the court-martial present at the time the vote is taken determines that the defense of mental disease or defect has been established.

(b) In the case of a court-martial composed of a military judge only or a summary court-martial officer, the military judge or summary court-martial officer determines that the defense of mental disease or defect has been established.

History: 2007 a. 200; 2009 a. 179.