552.010. Mental disease or defect defined. - Missouri Statutes

Mental disease or defect defined.

552.010. The terms "mental disease or defect" includecongenital and traumatic mental conditions as well as disease.They do not include an abnormality manifested only by repeatedcriminal or otherwise antisocial conduct, whether or not suchabnormality may be included under mental illness, mental diseaseor defect in some classifications of mental abnormality ordisorder. The terms "mental disease or defect" do not includealcoholism without psychosis or drug abuse without psychosis oran abnormality manifested only by criminal sexual psychopathy asdefined in section 202.700, RSMo, nor shall anything in thischapter be construed to repeal or modify the provisions ofsections 202.700 to 202.770, RSMo.

(L. 1963 p. 674 § 1, A.L. 1969 p. 572)

(1965) This section's use of the term "mental disease or defect" was not intended to designate any specific form or forms or medical classification of mental disease, but merely means a mind sufficiently disordered to cause the results indicated. State v. Garrett (Mo.), 391 S.W.2d 235.

(1975) Proper lay or medical testimony of drug addiction is admissible to show extenuating or mitigating circumstances during parole revocation. Reiter v. Camp (A.), 518 S.W.2d 82.

(1978) Loss of memory due to physical injury prevented defendant from assisting in his defense and even though he understood proceedings against him, he could not be tried. State ex rel. Sisco v. Buford (Mo.), 559 S.W.2d 747.