Objective: This case report aims to discuss the diagnosis of mental retardation as insanity defence in a crime offender. Methods: We report a gentleman who committed murder and rape 9 years ago, and currently being treated at a mental institution. Results: Patient was certified to have mental retardation, and was pleaded on the defence of unsoundness of mind because he had defect of reason at the time of alleged offence. Conclusion: Mental retardation does fulfil the McNaughton’s rule. Unsoundness of mind becomes the insanity defence even for murder under section 84 of the Penal Code. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 15 (1): January - June 2014: 97-100.
Objective: Pritchard Criteria are adopted in a Malaysian criminal-justice system while assessing fitness to plead. There is limited data on the reason of unfitness to plead for female offenders in Malaysia.
Methods: A case series of five patients hospitalized to Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta, Malaysia due to unfitness to plead was presented and discussed.
Result: The offences include three homicides, one assault, and one stealing. All of them were diagnosed to have schizophrenia with prominent looseness of association. Four of them subsequently treated as Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia (TRS) with a minimal response toward clozapine.
Conclusion: Looseness of association may be a contributing factor for unfitness to plead among Malaysian female offenders, which can result in indeterminate hospitalization. This should be confirmed in a larger prospective study.