People v. Morris

Defendant was tried by jury for the oifense of first-degree murder. MCL 750.316; MSA 28.548. She was convicted, sentenced to life imprisonment and appeals by right, raising six issues, three of which merit comment and require reversal for a new trial.

Reversible error was committed when the trial court instructed the jury prior to their deliberations on the definition of legal insanity and the corresponding definition of legal sanity. The erroneous charge that was given twice was that, "The person is legally sane if despite the mental illness that person possesses substantial capacity either…