Procedural Facts
Kansas charged the applicant, named James Kahler, with murder after the defendant shot four family members. Kahler’s crime is severe, and the court charges him with the death penalty.
Substantive Facts
James Kahler shot and killed his wife, two joint daughters, and his wife’s grandmother. The crime that caused a public outcry occurred in 2009 in Burlingame, Kansas. The state accused the defendant of murder at trial, which is punishable by death. Moreover, Kahler was charged with aggravated burglary. Kahler’s defense filed evidence and opinions from forensic psychiatrist Steven Peterson during the criminal proceedings (Larkin & Canaparo, 2020). The doctor concluded that Kahler was diagnosed with severe depression, so he could not control his actions and be responsible (Kahler v. Kansas, 2020). However, the prosecution provided the reports of William Logan, another forensic psychiatrist. He declared that the crime committed by Kahler was intentional, and he was accountable for his actions.
Issues
Do the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments allow the insanity defense to be overturned?
Substantive Holding
Insanity or any other mental illness does not count toward the defendant’s defense. Thus, the defendant is accused even if the existence of problems with mental health is proved.
Procedural Holding
The jury convicted the defendant of killing four people, and Kahler was sentenced to death.
Rationale
The court agreed with the Kansas Supreme Court’s decision, arguing that due process does not require a state to pass a mental sanity test. Since this test depends on the ability of the defendant to recognize whether his act was illegal or immoral, Kansas has rejected this practice.
Judgment
If I were a judge, I would agree with the outcome of Kahler v. Kansas. I believe that the eighth and fourteenth amendments cannot regulate the application of the insanity defense in legal cases. Murder is a grave crime and should not be tried under the insanity test.
References
Kahler v. Kansas, No. 18-6135, 589 U.S. ___ (2020).
Larkin Jr, P. J., & Canaparo, G. (2020). Are criminals bad or mad: Premeditated murder, mental illness, and Kahler v. Kansas. Harv. JL & Pub. Pol’y, 43, 85.