Deanna Laney murders
Encyclopedia
The Deanna Laney murders were the killings, by Deanna Laney, of her two oldest sons (Joshua, 8, and Luke, 6) by stoning.
On 3 April 2004, a jury
acquitted her of all charges by reason of insanity
.
church, where she sang in the choir.
Five mental health
experts were consulted in her case: two each by the prosecution and defense, and one by the judge. All of them arrived at the conclusion that Laney suffered from psychotic delusion
s which made her unable to know right from wrong at the time of the killings.
On 3 April 2004, a jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
acquitted her of all charges by reason of insanity
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
.
Details
During the investigation, Laney claimed God ordered her to bash in her sons' heads. Laney is a member of an Assemblies of GodAssemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
church, where she sang in the choir.
Five mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
experts were consulted in her case: two each by the prosecution and defense, and one by the judge. All of them arrived at the conclusion that Laney suffered from psychotic delusion
Delusion
A delusion is a false belief held with absolute conviction despite superior evidence. Unlike hallucinations, delusions are always pathological...
s which made her unable to know right from wrong at the time of the killings.