Violence in sleep: medico-legal issues and two case reports.
Reported cases of violence during sleep are reviewed. Two new cases are reported where the subjects were charged respectively with attempted murder and murder; both were acquitted on the grounds of non-insane automatism. Clinical features and aetiological factors are analysed. The legal concepts surrounding non-insane automatism are discussed and criticized.
Howard
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C
Department of Psychiatry, Royal Free Hospital, London.
D'Orbán
P T
PT
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004325:Dreams; D005555:Forensic Psychiatry; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D007298:Insanity Defense; D008297:Male; D014754:Violence