Bresnahan v. People

On August 8, 1964, William James Bresnahan, Jr., age 16 years, was charged with the murders of his father and his mother. Upon initial pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity, he was examined .by three doctors pursuant to court order. The three separate doctors’ reports each stated that Bresnahan was confused and emotionally disturbed but that he was sane. On November 24, 1964, Bresnahan withdrew his former pleas and entered pleas of guilty to murder in the first degree. Some two months later, on January 27, 1965, Bresnahan was sentenced to life imprisonment for each murder,…