Mentally ill Briton could be executed on Tuesday

[Carnivore]

And given that the guy has never been diagnosed with a mental illness they have met that requirement in this case.

The only time there was ANY suggestion this guy might be mentally ill was when it was brought up as a good way to get him out of a death penalty.

In order to get his visa to China I think (and my memory is getting hazy) he probably had to sign something to state he doesn't have any mental illness.

If he actually had been diagnosed before he went to China I might be sympathetic but in this case I am not.

The difficulty of getting a diagnosis for Bipolar Disorder has been mentioned more than once in this thread. Mr Shaikh's long history of erratic behaviour seems to be documented and consistent with Bipolar Disorder. The Chinese government refused to allow any psychiatric testing that could have led to such a diagnosis. They simply declared him to be fully mentally competent. That is blatantly unjust.

I presume the Marxist media are thus guilty of calling Richard Dawkins -born in Kenya- British.

I'm floating the possibility that if Mr Shaikh was actually a white man from Bolton who claimed a Mr Afriyie from Hackney set him up with heroin they'd be more sympathetic.

Given the way the BNP make a big deal out of "supporting the troops" combined with the disgusting way they belittled Johnson Beharry's achievement after he was awarded the Victoria Cross, I would call that a near certainty.

 

[luchog]

If he actually had been diagnosed before he went to China I might be sympathetic but in this case I am not.

The problem with this line of reasoning is that very many mentally ill people are borderline functional, and actively resist any attempt to diagnose them, either through denial, paranoia, or social stigma. A huge percentage are not diagnosed until after they cause signficant harm (physically or financially) to themselves or others. Often as the result of a minor criminal prosecution, typically for theft, vandalism, assault, or drug-possession. This is particularly true with Bipolar Disorder, for a number of reasons already enumerated in a previous post.

Oh, and re: your username; there are a few Fraggles still around.

 

[luchog]

The second sentence, I would have to disagree with. I tend to agree with the general stance of the US legal defenition of insanity. If a person cannot distinguish between right and wrong and/or cannot comprehend the consequences of thier actions, these are factors that should be considered in determining guilt and even mitigating factors for sentencing. The suggestion that all mental illnesses meet this criteria is where I take issue.

I should have been more clear; but in context the implication appeared to me to be "mental illness capable of imparing normal judgement. The fact is that people in a severe manic episode are often simply incapable of making reasoned and reasonable jugements. They may be able to differentiate between right and wrong ordinarily, but mania can override that judgement ability.