Factors that influence jury decision making: disposition instructions and mental state at the time of the trial

Investigated whether information regarding the disposition of insanity acquittees, and the defendant's mental state at the time of the trial, had a significant effect on mock jurors' verdicts. Two trials were used to assess whether results generalize across cases. Participants read excerpts from a trial in which the accused's mental state at the time of the trial (symptom free, neurotic symptoms, or psychotic symptoms) and the disposition instructions (no instructions, indeterminate disposition, and capped disposition) were varied. Participants then rendered a verdict of guilty, not guilty, or not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder (NCRMD). Participants who thought the accused was psychotic at the time of the trial were more likely to render a verdict of NCRMD than guilty, and they were more likely to render a verdict of NCRMD than those who thought the accused was normal. No significant differences were found for disposition. Finally, a significant difference for verdicts was found between trials