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Another Mother Found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity

By Kristin Houle

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Valeria Maxon, who has been diagnosed with "bipolar disorder, most recent episode depressed with psychotic features," was found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) in the drowning death of her son Alex ("Mansfield mom ruled insane in boy's death," May 2, 2008). As with the vast majority of successful insanity defenses, the prosecution and defense agreed on the appropriateness of this verdict, which was delivered by Judge Wayne Salvant. Insanity must be proved by a preponderance of the evidence. The Star-Telegram article is pasted below in its entirety. Note the description at the end of four other tragic cases of Texas mothers who have been found NGRI since 2001 as a result of their severe mental illness...continue to full post

Full post as published by Prevention Not Punishment on May 02, 2008 (boomark / email).