30,000?

AH.com: Hey Anne-Marie - thanks for your email and this comment. Unfortunately you are wrong! Let's see what other people guess...

22,000?

AH.com: Still no...Wanna give me your reasoning?

WTF? 96,000 people were killed in a span of 9 years?

Take a look at this link, it adds to 20,495 if you look at these rates:

http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/nycrime.htm

But if I was to guess, I'd say about 70,000 plead insanity. Common fact you have to admit as a New Yorker: everyone is freakin insane!

AH.com: Sorry, your comment made me clarify my post - felony indictments. No dice!! But thanks for playing, Mike!

Stumbled across your blog wanted to answer your Psych question -

My guess is that the number is pretty high - somewhere in the neighborhood of 85,000?

Just a guess.

Nice blog! :)

p

AH.com: Thanks! Unfortunately no...stay tuned for the answer!

How'd you know my name was Mike?

And yes I'd believe there were 96K felony indictments. That'll make the number of insanity plea trickier to guess, seeing as they are used more often during a homicide trial rather than grand larceny.

I'd say maybe 50,000 out of the total. Reason being is that insanity sentences are served out at a mental institution, rather than a maximum lock-up.

Am I right?

Are you reading "The Case of Daniel McNaughton: Let's get the story straight” by Dalby for your class by any chance?

AH.com: Your guess is not right! It was my guess too. I don't have that book assigned but will check it out.

96,000 felony indictments. 90% of the cases plead, so now were talking 9,600 jury trials. Of the roughly 9,600 cases, probably 5% are homicide or homicide related where an insanity plea would impact the verdict. That makes it 430 (probably less) murders that actually go to trial in 10 years. I would say less than half that actually use insanity as a defense. So now, we're talking 215 (probably even less). Anyways, that's my answer. Am I close?

AH.com: Wow. We have the closest answer yet! Full disclosure: Roy is my cousin and is a prosecutor. Anyone else want to take a guess?

I'm guessing about 600. Though I don't know why I'd wanna take a guess after Roy's answer. . .

AH.com: Interesting...stay tuned for the answer tomorrow!

OK, I've just been waiting for everyone else to answer so I can get more info for my guess (kind of like the last guy in line who gets to bid on the Price is Right: "one dollar Bob!")

372

AH.com: I will post when I wake up - good night!