State of Iowa v. Travis Howard Richard Beck

McDonald, j.

This case presents the deceptively simple question of whether a criminal defendant charged with assault may assert the defense of diminished responsibility. In ruling on the State’s motion to adjudicate law points, the district court concluded the defendant could assert the defense. The supreme court granted the State’s application for discretionary review of the district court’s ruling, stayed further proceedings in the district court, and transferred the matter to this court.

I

This appeal involves three separate criminal proceedings involving the same defendant. In October 2011,…