It was, twiceThis court case is basically to decide whether or not he is, legally, insane under Norwegian law. The first assessment said that yes, he was insane. The second assessment, a couple of weeks back, said no, he wasn't. So the trial has to decide first whether or not he'll be tried or whether he'll be locked in an asylum.
Yes, in most countries he'd be judged very quickly as being lucid enough to know what he did was 'wrong' - he's admitted that himself, happily, in front of a judge. But Norwegian law doesn't work on those lines, though it almost certainly will as soon as the issue can be debated in parliament and changes made to the legislation. Norwegian law says you have to be judged medically insane, and simply being a psychopath is not judged as being medically insane for whatever stupid reason. (The first assessment judged him to have paranoid schizophrenia, along with numerous other pyschoses.)
(Yes, in most countries he'd be judged very quickly as being lucid enough to know what he did was 'wrong' - he's admitted that himself, happily, in front of a judge. But Norwegian law doesn't work on those lines, though it almost certainly will as soon as the issue can be debated in parliament and changes made to the legislation. Norwegian law says you have to be judged medically insane, and simply being a psychopath is not judged as being medically insane for whatever stupid reason. (The first assessment judged him to have paranoid schizophrenia, along with numerous other pyschoses.)
boris the spider,
Mon 16 Apr 2012, 21:22,
archived)
Paranoid Schizophrenia is not the same as being a Psychopath.Paranoid schizophrenia involves, well, paranoia... voices and messed up emotions and shit. Psychopaths are much more rational.
( Mu Dinofiddler,
Mon 16 Apr 2012, 21:39,
archived)
No, it's clearly not the sameSince being judged a paranoid schizophrenic was enough to get him declared insane, while being judged a psychopath wasn't...
( boris the spider,
Mon 16 Apr 2012, 21:55,
archived)
Which shows that there's a difference between the two and that being a psychopath isn't the same as being a raging homicidal maniac.Most psychopaths don't go on rampages.
( Mu Dinofiddler,
Mon 16 Apr 2012, 21:59,
archived)
Doubtless also trueI'm certainly not trying to argue with you about this :)
( boris the spider,
Mon 16 Apr 2012, 22:19,
archived)