People v. Lancaster

OPINION OF THE COURT

Alexander, J.

We hold today that the People are under no obligation to charge the Grand Jury with respect to a potential defense of mental disease or defect, and therefore have no duty to present to the Grand Jury evidence within their possession of defendant’s psychiatric history in support of such a charge.

I

On October 21, 1984, Peter Lancaster, while a patient at the Hutchings Psychiatric Center in Syracuse pursuant to a CPL article 330 commitment order,1 allegedly beat and choked another patient without provocation. Employees at the facility restrained the defendant…