MEDICAL DEFENCE OVERDONE

Chronicle (Levin), 20 July 1946, Page 5

MEDICAL DEFENCE OVERDONE

** REDUCING CHARGES OF MXJRDER Rcccivcd Fridav, 3.50 p.m. LOXDOX, July 19. Too many cliargcs of nmrdcr wero rcduccd aftcr medical nicn niadc " cxaggcratcd and unprovcd claiins, ' said Scot land 's cliicf Friminal Court Judge, Lord Coopcr, at Fdinburgh wlicn addrcssing dclcgatcs to tlic eonferencv of tlic Royal .M edico-pscliologieai As- | sociat ion. Thcrc was rcccntly a jicriod j of 15 years w licn 110 oue was scntciiccd to death in Scot land. I ''It is cvidcnl to nic tliat witliin tlulasl 1'our or livc years, tlic tliing lia.bccu ovcrdoiic. It goes against our grain tliat tlicrc should be a scction of tlic population free to eoinmit criinc with liinitcd liability or 110 liability at j all, siinplv because a new M-ience claiins | lo be able to put thein in a certain j ea t egorv, " he said. ''It has beconie J the recognised thing chiring itie lasl lo i years wlicn scrious ciinic is uudcfcnd jablc 011 other grounds, to seek tlic cm , ployiociit of medical nicn who woid.l j providc material for ihe ]ie ■■•uliar di | fence know n as ' ' diminished responsi Ibility." Tlie attitude of juries to that i plea is (-hangi ng, he said. "A-.jury I niaii feels in his bones ymi caniiol con \crl a criiniual into a pat ient . '