United States v. Alvin Omega Owens

EDMONDSON, Circuit Judge:

In this opinion we construe and apply the Insanity Defense Reform Act of 1984. 1 Alvin Omega Owens was indicted and convicted for possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C.App. sec. 1202(a)(1) (as amended by the Armed Career Criminal Act of 1984 (ACCA)). 2 At trial, he presented expert witness testimony on the issue of his insanity at the time of the alleged' crime. The district court nonetheless declined to instruct the jury on insanity. Because there was sufficient evidence to require an instruction on insanity, Owens is entitled to a new trial.

BACKGROUND

In…