Criminal defense can be a complex matter to people. In order to reach an acquittal for their clients, criminal defense attorneys have to painstakingly shuffle through files upon files of evidence for and against them, finding inconsistencies they can exploit or identifying key statements that can help prove their client’s innocence. In many cases, lawyers have to fall back on legal precedents or landmark judgements in the past to argue for their client’s acquittal.
However, there are some instances where the defense utilizes some unusual methods to attain a charge dismissal. These methods ranged from claims of witchcraft or spiritual possession in the past to odd but technically legal circumstances in the present. Listed below are a few of the more bizarre criminal defense that worked in a competent court of law.
Afflicted with the Richness
One of the more common tropes in many forms of fiction is the rich and loaded defendant--a person who can literally pay off any judge or jury that tries to indict him for any wrongdoing. This particular case involving a Texas teenager from back in 2012 is a different take on the whole scenario, and has made waves in the news for how ridiculous the outcome was. Ethan Couch was involved in a fatal DUI-induced crash, which left four other people dead. The prosecution had rock-solid evidence that would put the teenager away for life on multiple counts, but he managed to walk away with only a rehab order. His defense team successfully argued that he was suffering from ‘affluenza’, a pseudoscientific disorder that claims spoiled rich children lose any form of self-judgement and are prone to make fatal mistakes. This bizarre argument somehow secured a reduction in his conviction and has kept him from more severe penalties, and has earned the ire and ridicule of legal professionals everywhere. These days, couch has been in and out of jail due to his drinking problems, and was last arrested in January from violating his probation dues.
Just Like the Simulations
The Matrix is one of the more seminal films of the turn of the millenium, lauded as the hallmark in movie effects and style. It has also led to a brief period where people were interested in the idea that this reality is merely a simulation controlled by some unknown entity. While many people think of this idea as merely a starting point for either a deep discussion on existentialism or a fountain of internet jokes, there have been some individuals who have taken this idea to heart and used it to justify their crimes. One of the first and most popular instances of this defense was with Ohio woman Tonda Lynn Ansley who shot and killed her landlady in 2002. She succesfully achieved a dismissal due to insanity thanks to her defense lawyers’ claim that she perceived this reality as being a virtual simulation in the Matrix, and even her actions aren’t real.This defense has surprisingly held up for a while, with related cases reaching the same verdicts for nearly a decade.
Sleeping on a Conviction
Sleepwalking is a serious condition that involves a person doing a complex action despite having minimal or no level of consciousness. While common among children, it is also prevalent in adults who suffer from heavy sleep deprivation. The lack of sleep and associated effects may be a reason why some people have claimed that they have no memory of committing severe crimes. Take Arizona native Steven Steinberg as an example. Steinberg stood trial for allegedly killing his wife in cold blood one night in 1981. Nonetheless, his case was dismissed with no additional issues to worry about. The reason? His defense convinced the court that the act was committed in a state of intermittent sleepwalking as a result of stress caused by his wife. The case was not the first recorded instance of the sleepwalking defense in American court, but the factors around it helped it stand out among other similar instances.
Metered for Death
Fiction has been a major source of inspiration for many criminals over the years, with many ‘copycat’ cases following the precise steps undertaken in crime dramas, pulp novels and movies. Many cases go way beyond the Matrix case mentioned earlier, with suspects going as far as embodying the fictional characters themselves. Probably one of the most famous of these types of criminals is John Hinckley, Jr., who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981. He claimed to have watched the classic psychological thriller Taxi Driver repeatedly, believed that he resonated with Robert de Niro’s character, and formed a stalker-like obsession with Jodie Foster. The assassination attempt was his idea of impressing Foster and getting her attention on the mistaken belief that he was becoming De Niro’s character brought to life. His testimony helped him secure a dismissal via insanity.
Brainstormed
This particular incident stands out from the previous cases because its circumstances would eventually be related to modern accepted legal precedents. In 1907, railroad coal business heir Harry Thaw stood trial for the murder of prominent architect Stanford White in 1906. Thaw shot White due to a sexual affair the latter had with his wife before they were married. Thaw was known for his severe mental episodes (dubbed ‘brain storms’ during the time) and overall unstable demeanor, but this was used by his defense to secure a dismissal for an otherwise solid murder conviction. The defense dubbed it dementia americana, ‘a species of insanity which makes every American believe his home to be sacred… [and] makes him believe his wife to be sacred’. Thaw’s lawyers argued that White trespassed on Mrs. Thaw’s purity, and Thaw had gone temporarily insane in a bid to defend what he believed to be his. While seemingly outrageous, the reasoning behind their dementia americana defense--about Thaw defending his property from unauthorized and provocative trespassing--would eventually apply to modern-day castle doctrine and stand-your-ground laws in many states across the country.
These are just a handful of unique criminal defense incidents that have resulted in dismissals for their defendants, which should not work under regular circumstances. These, however, are by no means a guideline on what to do if ever you have to face a major criminal charge. Always consult with your defense attorney before committing to any kind of plea or defense plan.