The Plea of Insanity, In Criminal Cases

2005. ISBN-13: 9781584775119; ISBN-10: 1584775114. Winslow, Forbes. The Plea of Insanity, In Criminal Cases. Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown, 1843. viii, 111 pp. Reprinted 2005 by The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. ISBN-13: 9781584775119; ISBN-10: 1584775114. Attractive smyth sewn cloth bound hardcover with blackspine and front cover stamping. New. $45.00 * Reprint of the first American edition. This treatise is a seminal legal and medical treatise that explores the intersection of mental illness and criminal liability. It represents one of the earliest attempts to establish formal criteria for determining the legitimacy of an insanity plea in court. Defining Irresponsibility: Winslow aimed to provide a clear understanding of the "present state of the law" regarding when a defendant should be held legally irresponsible for their actions due to mental defects. This book was published shortly before the landmark establishment of the M'Naghten Rules in England later that same year. Historians consider Winslow's treatise a significant influence on these rules, which still serve as a standard for insanity defenses today. The text includes various case examples and discussions on the ability to distinguish "good and evil," as well as the role of medical witnesses in criminal trials. Dr. Forbes Winslow [1810-1874] was a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and the father of Dr. Winslow Lyttleton Forbes, who is best known for his work on the case of Jack the Ripper.