Bill > S938

This bill amends the existing law in Massachusetts to define "mental illness" and establish a process for defendants to be found "guilty but with a mental illness" in certain felony criminal cases. The bill allows the court to order a psychiatric or clinical examination to determine if the defendant suffers from a mental illness, as defined in the bill. If the defendant is found to have a mental illness, the court can find them "guilty but with a mental illness" and impose the same sentence as a regular guilty verdict, but require the defendant to serve the sentence in a facility or state hospital, rather than a regular prison, if the sentence includes imprisonment. The bill also allows the court to order a similar examination for alleged juvenile delinquents to aid in the court's disposition.

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https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S938