A three-year-old boy dies, having apparently fallen while trying to reach a bag of sugar on a high shelf. His grandmother stands accused of second-degree murder. Psychologist Susan Nordin Vinocour agrees to evaluate the defendant, to determine whether the impoverished and mentally ill woman is competent to stand trial. Vinocour soon finds herself pulled headlong into a series of difficult questions, beginning with: was the defendant legally insane on the night in question? As she wades deeper into the story, Vinocour traces the legal definition of insanity back nearly two hundred years, when our understanding of the human mind was in its infancy. "Competency" and "insanity", she explains, are creatures of legal definition, not psychiatric reality, and in criminal law, "insanity" has become a luxury of the rich and white. With passion, clarity, and heart, Vinocour examines the troubling intersection of mental health issues and the law.

About the Author
Susan Nordin Vinocour, an attorney, is a retired clinical and forensic psychologist, a former prosecutor, and a former associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. She lives in Pittsford, New York.

Reviews
"A chilling book ... unquestionably a page-turner, and revealing the ending would be a spoiler ... A satisfying courtroom drama that hits the sweet spot between good storytelling and sharp legal analysis." - Kirkus



Book Information
ISBN 9781785905629
Author Susan Vinocour
Format Hardback
Page Count 320
Imprint Biteback Publishing
Publisher Biteback Publishing