9.90 Insanity

Here's a plain English summary of this rule.

If someone charged with a crime claims they were insane at the time of the offense, and the jury agrees and finds them not guilty because of insanity, the jury has to say so clearly in their verdict. They can't just say "not guilty." They have to specifically state that the not guilty finding is based on insanity.

Once the jury returns this kind of verdict, the case doesn't just end there. The judge has the power to decide what happens to the defendant next. This can happen because the prosecutor asks for it, or the judge can act on their own without being asked. The judge follows a separate law (KRS 504.030) that spells out the options, which usually involve deciding whether the person needs to be committed for mental health treatment instead of being released outright.

The point of this rule is to make sure that someone found not guilty by reason of insanity doesn't simply walk free without any further review. Because mental illness was the reason for the acquittal, the law wants to make sure the person's mental state gets looked at before they return to the community.