I find it astonishing that so many people who commit heinous crimes think they may be let off easy by claiming mental incompetence. Whether it’s the mother who sent bomb threats to local schools, or the men who killed a local musician, it seems I read more and more about mentally insane defenses.

Although I do not know the mental status of these examples, I can’t help but wonder: Do you think anyone who is thinking in their right mind could commit crimes such as these? Take a step back, and put yourself into one of these scenarios. Do you think we could all claim to be mentally insane?

What kind of message is being communicated to the people of Maine? Are we unknowingly saying that it is OK to do these horrible things as long as a person is insane at the time? I’m unsure.

Katie Mackin

Bangor