People v. Booth

The key issue in these cases 1 of first impression is whether a defendant who is unable to recall some or all of the events surrounding the commission of a particular crime may enter a plea of guilty but mentally ill 2 to that crime, and, if so, what procedure is to be utilized at the plea-taking proceeding to establish a factual basis for the plea. In addition to our analysis of these primary issues, we touch upon other tangential contentions advanced by defendants.

We conclude that a forgetful defendant is not precluded under the terms of the statute from entering a plea of guilty but…