Criminal Lunatics Act 1800
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1800 c. 94 |
(39 & 40 Geo. 3) C A P. XCIV.
[28th July 1800]
'WHEREAS Persons charged with High Treason, Murder, or Felony, may have been or may be of unsound Mind at the Time of committing the Offence wherewith they may have been or shall be charged, and by reason of such Insanity may have been or may be found not guilty of such Offence, and it may be dangerous to permit Persons so acquitted to go at large:' Be it therefore enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That in all Cases where it shall be given in Evidence upon the Trial of any Person charged with Treason, Murder, or Felony, that such Person was insane at the Time of the Commission of such Offence, and such Person shall be acquitted, the Jury shall be required to find specially whether such Person was insane at the Time of the Commission of such Offence, and to declare whether such Person was acquitted by them on account of such Insanity; and if they shall find that such Person was insane at the Time of the committing such Offence, the Court before whom such Trial shall be had, shall order such Person to be kept in first Custody, in such Place and in such Manner as to the Court shall seem fit, until his Majesty's Pleasure shall be known; and it shall thereupon be lawful for his Majesty to give such Order for the safe Custody of such Person, during his Pleasure, in such Place and in such Manner as to his Majesty shall seem fit; and in all Cases where any Person, before the passing of this Act, has been acquitted of any such Offences on the Ground of Insanity at the Time of the Commission thereof, and has been detained in Custody as a dangerous Person by Order of the Court before whom such Person has been tried, and still remains in Custody, it shall be lawful for his Majesty to give the like Order for the safe Custody of such Person, during his Pleasure, as his Majesty is hereby enabled to give in the Cases of Persons who shall hereafter be acquitted on the Ground of Insanity.
II Insane Persons indicted...
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