Legal Issues, Following a Meth Binge

Question

My son is in a prison psychiatric hospital after assaulting two people in the park last week. He is a meth addict and from what I have put together he was tweaking hard after a many day straight binge with no sleep. He is being charged with a felony. He is still psychotic now so there is no douibt he was last weekend at the time of the crime. Can he use an insanity defense and maybe get some treatment instead of prison (he has prior theft convictions) or because this is a violent crime is treatment unlikely?

Jim LaPierre · Accepted Answer

My best advice is to consult with an attorney as I believe there is variance from state to state and from one district attorney to another. Past convictions are a major factor here and past attempts at treatment may be considered as well. If possible I urge you to retain a good attorney in pursuit of a treatment option though it seems likely that he will do prison time as well.

My prayers go out to you and your family. Strange though it may seem, I have worked with countless folks for whom going to jail/prison was beneficial because it was the only thing that could make them stop using.

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