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Cases Involving a Mental Illness

The law recognizes that most people can distinguish right from wrong, and that people with a mental illness sometimes cannot.

A mental illness can be a defense to any crime, including murder. If someone is suffering from a mental illness like depression or schizophrenia at the time they are arrested for a crime, their mental illness may be seen as a factor that can change how the DA prosecutes the case, and might persuade a judge to offer that person mental health treatment rather than sending them to jail if they are found guilty in the case.

In my 25 years as a Deputy District Attorney, I handled hundreds of cases involving mental illness issues, including cases involving murder charges. (For more information, visit this page.) I gained so much experience handling these types of cases, that I was called upon to teach other Deputy DA’s throughout the state about how to handle mental illness issues in court. This experience will give me a unique understanding of your individual situation if mental illness is a factor in your case.

I really want to help you and your family if you or someone close to you is arrested for a crime or is in court because of that arrest and suffers from a mental illness. Please call me. I am confident that I can be of great assistance to you.

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