United States v. Lyons

731 F.2d 243, 739 F.2d 994 (1984)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

D was indicted on twelve counts of knowingly and intentionally securing controlled narcotics by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge. D informed P that he intended to rely on a defense of insanity: that he had lacked substantial capacity to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law because of drug addiction. In 1978 he began to suffer from several painful ailments, and various narcotics were prescribed to be taken as needed for his pain, and that he became addicted to these drugs. He also offered to present expert witnesses who would testify that his drug addiction affected his brain both physiologically and psychologically and that as a result, he lacked substantial capacity to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law. From P's motion in limine, the district court excluded any evidence of D's drug addiction, apparently on the ground that such an addiction could not constitute a mental disease or defect sufficient to support an insanity defense. A panel of the Court reversed, holding that it was the jury's responsibility to decide whether involuntary drug addiction could constitute a mental disease or defect depriving D of substantial capacity to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law. The case was heard en banc.