People v. Mangiapane

271 N.W.2d 240, 85 Mich. App. 379, 1978 Mich. App. LEXIS 2414
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 22, 1978
DocketDocket 77-4316
StatusPublished
Cited by24 cases

This text of 271 N.W.2d 240 (People v. Mangiapane) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Mangiapane, 271 N.W.2d 240, 85 Mich. App. 379, 1978 Mich. App. LEXIS 2414 (Mich. Ct. App. 1978).

Opinion

Beasley, J.

Defendant was charged with assault with intent to commit murder in violation of MCL 750.83; MSA 28.278, after a woman was shot seven times with a gun.

After bindover, defendant moved for an order allowing psychiatric testimony on the issue of his capacity to form the requisite specific intent, although he filed no notice of nor did he intend to claim insanity. After careful consideration, the trial court denied defendant’s motion, holding that the 1975 amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure codified the so-called "diminished capacity” tests and precluded any such claim except within the ambit of the statutory definition of insanity contained in the Mental Health Code.

The matter is before this court on leave granted.

Prior to enactment of the 1975 amendments, People v Lynch 1 controlled this question. In Lynch, this Court held that any evidence relevant to the issue of intent was admissible even though it fell short of supporting a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity. Specifically, the Lynch Court said:

"The majority, and we think the sounder, view, however, permits such medical proof, sometimes called proof of diminished or partial responsibility, as bearing on intent generally or at least on those special states of mind where a specific intent is required or where the state of mind by definition determines the degree of the offense as here.”

*381 The issue is, do Acts 179 and 180 of the Public Acts of 1975 modify this rule of People v Lynch so as to preclude psychiatric testimony relating to mental condition of the defendant at the time of the alleged offense except within the statutory, procedural framework for asserting the defense of insanity?

Relevant to this issue is the intention of the Legislature in enacting Acts 179 and 180 of the Public Acts of 1975. Since these acts comprise a package of bills which are quite comprehensive in scope, they are best viewed in their entirety. To that end, we set forth Acts 179 and 180 in full. 2

Giving consideration to the specifics, § 21a defines legal insanity as follows:

*390 "(1) A person is legally insane if, as a result of mental illness as defined in section 400a of Act No. 258 of the Public Acts of 1974, being section 330.1400a of the Michigan Compiled Laws, or as a result of mental retardation as defined in section 500(g) of Act No. 258 of the Public Acts of 1974, being section 330.1500 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, that person lacks substantial capacity either to appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct' or to conform his conduct to the requirements of law.” 3

"Mental illness” is defined in the 1974 Mental Health Code as follows:

"As used in this chapter, 'mental illness’ means a substantial disorder of thought or mood which significantly impairs judgment, behavior, capacity to recognize reality, or ability to cope with the ordinary demands of life.” 4

*391 "Mentally retarded” is defined as follows:

" 'Mentally retarded’ means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning which originates during the developmental period and is associated with impairment in adaptive behavior.” 5

The new § 21a codifies the definition of legal insanity for the first time. In the 1971 case of People v Martin, 6 the Supreme Court compared the Michigan test for criminal insanity with the American Law Institute Model Penal test, the proposed Michigan Revised Criminal Code, the Durham 7 "product” test and others. The Michigan rule as enunciated in People v Martin is

"The salient elements of the Michigan test are: 1) whether defendant knew what he was doing was right or wrong; and 2) if he did, did he have the power, the will power, to resist doing the wrongful act? The Michigan test encompasses not only a sudden overpowering, irresistible impulse but any situation or condition in which the power, 'the will power’ to resist, is insufficient to restrain commission of the wrongful act.” (Footnote omitted.)

Clearly, Michigan’s new codified definition is closest to the ALI model. The reference in the statutory definition to substantial capacity is in contrast to Michigan’s long-time Durfee 8 test which was not cast in terms of capacity. While there are those who will say this difference is mere terminology and not one of substance, the new codified definition does suggest a legislative intention to cover and include the diminished capacity *392 concept. While we are not prepared to say they are identical, certainly the categories of the mentally retarded, as defined in the statute, and of those with diminished capacity have striking similarities. It would appear that in many cases a person claiming diminished capacity would fall in the category of the mentally retarded.

Also bearing on the issue here is the new § 20a 9 which, as indicated, was part of Act 180.

Prior to the 1975 amendment, a defendant desiring to establish the defense of insanity was required to file and give notice in writing to the prosecutor of intention to claim such defense at the time of arraignment or within 10 days thereafter, but not less than four days before trial.

The 1975 amendment requires the written notice of intention to assert the defense of insanity to be given not less than 30 days before the date set for trial or such other time as the court directs. The obvious reason for gearing the new extended 30-day period to the date of trial is to afford time for the required examination by the Center for Forensic Psychiatry (hereinafter referred to as CFP) under § 20a(2).

Requiring a defendant who claims the defense of insanity to submit to examination by the CFP is, of course, an entirely new concept. The subsections contained in § 20a(2) through 20a(8) are all new.

Section 20a(3) provides that if a defendant obtains an independent (additional) psychiatric evaluation by a clinician of his choice, he must give notice to the prosecutor so that the prosecutor can also obtain an independent psychiatric evaluation if he wishes.

Section 20a(4) requires the defendant to fully cooperate with the personnel of the CFP and with *393 any independent examiners for either defense or prosecution.

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Bluebook (online)
271 N.W.2d 240, 85 Mich. App. 379, 1978 Mich. App. LEXIS 2414, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-mangiapane-michctapp-1978.