Bieber v. People

The majority upholds the judgment of conviction in this case based on its conclusion that “settled insanity” does not constitute a valid defense to a criminal charge because a recognition of that defense would conflict with statutory provisions that limit the use of intoxication as a defense, see § 18-1-804, 8B C.R.S. (1986), and would contravene its view of our public policy. Maj. op. at 815-16. Not only do I disagree that by that statute the General Assembly has precluded settled insanity from constituting a defense but I believe that under the dictates of due process the trial court was…