State v. Thomas

UHLENHOPP, Justice.

The principal question in this appeal relates to the burden of proof on the issue of the defendant’s sanity at the time he committed homicide. Iowa has been among the states which place the burden on the defendant to prove insanity, by commonlaw rule. State v. Booth, 169 N.W.2d 869 (Iowa).

Defendant Donald Eugene Thomas killed his wife. He was charged with murder and gave notice that he proposed to show insanity. See Code 1973, § 777.18. *4At trial he introduced evidence on his mental condition at the time of the act. The State claims at the outset that the record does not…