Crime and LSD: The Insanity Plea
American Journal of Psychiatry October 1, 1969 DOI: 10.1176/ajp.126.4.531 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case series Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3 |
| Population | Individuals who committed murder associated with LSD use |
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Plea Insanity Forensic psychiatry Criminology Criminal responsibility Glutethimide Homicide Poison control |
| Citations | 14 |
| Key findings | Five specific criteria are proposed to aid forensic examinations of criminal responsibility in cases of LSD-induced psychosis. |
Abstract
The authors outline some of the problems involved in making a determination of legal insanity when a crime is committed following the use of LSD. Three cases of murder known to be associated with the use of LSD are described, one of them involving an individual examined personally by the authors. Five specific criteria that the authors have found to be useful aids in forensic examinations of such cases are offered. Finally, the differences between alcoholic intoxication and LSD-induced psychosis are discussed to help clarify the issue of voluntary intoxication in regard to criminal responsibility.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lasting Neuropsychiatric Sequelae of (??)Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (???Ecstasy???) in Recreational Users Persons who ingested large doses of MDMA | 1991 | Case study | n = 2 |
| Further Studies in the Therapeutic Value of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Mental Illness Patients with mental illness | 1957 | Case series | |
| Coma, Hyperthermia, and Bleeding Associated with Massive LSD Overdose a Report of Eight Cases People who self-administered large amounts of pure LSD powder intranasally | 1975 | Case series | n = 8 |
| Using a MDMA- and LSD-Group Therapy Model in Clinical Practice in Switzerland and Highlighting the Treatment of Trauma-Related Disorders Patients with chronic complex post-traumatic stress disorder (c-PTSD), dissociative,... | 2022 | Case series | |
| Persistent Palinopsia Following Ingestion of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) Patients who developed persistent palinopsia after LSD ingestion | 1996 | Case series | n = 3 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Treatment of alcoholism using psychedelic drugs: a review of the program of research. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 1998
- Homicide During a Psychosis Induced by LSD JAMA February 14, 1972
- The Psychedelic Renaissance and Its Forensic Implications. The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law March 1, 2020
- Contextualizing Violence Risk Associated With Hallucinogens FOCUS: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry 2026
- Violence associated with phencyclidine abuse. American Journal of Psychiatry December 1979