insane criminals

insane criminals Sec. 207. Section 927 of the Act of March 3, 1901 (D.C. Code. sec. 24–3(4), is amended— (1) by striking out “(a) Whenever a person is arrested” and all that follows down through “is mentally incompetent” in the first sentence of subsection (a) and inserting in lieu thereof the following: “(a) If it appears to a court having jurisdiction of— “(1) a person arrested or indicted for, or charged by information with, an offense, or “(2) a child subject to a transfer motion in the Family Division of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia pursuant to section 16–2307 of the District of Columbia Code, that, from the court’s own observations or from prima facie evidence submitted to it and prior to the imposition of sentence, the expiration of any period of probation, or the hearing on the transfer motion, as the case may be, such person or child (hereafter in this subsection and subsection (b) referred to as the ‘accused’) is of unsound mind or is mentally incompetent”; (2) by striking out the period at the end of the second sentence of subsection (a) and inserting in lieu thereof “or to participate in transfer proceedings.”; (3) by inserting after “stand trial” in the third sentence of subsection (a) “or to participate in transfer proceedings”; 84 Stat. 602 (4) by inserting after “stand trial” in both places it appears hi subsection (b) “or to participate in transfer proceedings”; (5) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows: “(d) (1) If any person tried upon an indictment or information for an offense raises the defense of insanity and is acquitted solely on the ground that he was insane at the time of its commission, he shall be committed to a hospital for the mentally ill until such time as he is eligible for release pursuant to this subsection or subsection (e). “(2) A person confined pursuant to paragraph (1) shall have a hearing, unless waived, within 50 days of his confinement to determine whether he is entitled to release from custody. At the conclusion of the criminal action referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the court shall provide such person with representation by counsel— “(A) in the case of a person who is eligible to have counsel appointed by the court, by continuing any appointment of counsel made to represent such person in the prior criminal action or by appointing new counsel; or “(B) in the case of a person who is not eligible to have counsel appointed by the court, by assuring representation by retained counsel. If the hearing is not waived, the court, shall cause notice of the hearing to be served upon the person, his counsel, and the prosecuting attorney and hold the hearing. Within ten days from the date the hearing was begun, the court shall determine the issues and make findings of fact and conclusions of law with respect thereto. The person confined shall have the burden of proof. If the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the person confined is entitled to his release from custody, either conditional or unconditional, the court shall enter such order as may appear appropriate. “(3) An appeal may be taken from an order entered under paragraph (2) to the court having jurisdiction to review final judgments of the court entering the order.”; (6) by adding at the end of subsection (i) the following sentence: “No person accused of an offense shall be acquitted on the ground that be was insane at the time of its commission unless his insanity, regardless of who raises the issue, is affirmatively established by a preponderance of the evidence.”; and (7) by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection: “(k) (1) A person in custody or conditionally released from custody, pursuant to the provisions of this section, claiming the right to be released from custody, the right to any change in the conditions of his release, or other relief concerning his custody, may move the court having jurisdiction to order his release, to release him from custody, to change the conditions of his release, or to grant other relief. “(2) A motion for relief may be made at any time after a hearing has been held or waived pursuant to subsection (d)(2) of this section. “(3) Unless the motion and the files and records of the case conclusively show that the person is entitled to no relief, the court shall cause notice thereof to be served upon the prosecuting authority, grant a prompt hearing thereon, determine the issues, and make findings of fact and conclusions of law with respect thereto. On all issues raised by his motion, the person shall have the burden of proof. If the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the person is entitled to his release from custody, either conditional Or unconditional, a change in the conditions of his release, or other relief, the court shall enter such order as may appear appropriate. “(4) A court may entertain and determine the motion without requiring the production of the persons at the hearing. 84 Stat. 603 “(5) A court shall not be required to entertain a second or successive motion for relief under this section more often than once every six months. A court for good cause shown may in its discretion entertain such a motion more often than once every six months. “(6) An appeal may be taken from an order entered under this section to the court having jurisdiction to review final judgments of the court entering the order. “(7) An application for habeas corpus on behalf of a person who is authorized to apply for relief by motion pursuant to this section shall not be entertained if it appears that the applicant has failed to apply for relief, by motion, to the court, having jurisdiction to entertain a motion pursuant to this section, unless it also appears that the remedy by motion is inadequate or ineffective to test the validity of his detention.”