Art. 805 Same; charge as to verdict acquitting on account of insanity

When a jury decides to find someone not guilty because they were insane at the time of the crime, the judge has to tell the jury exactly how to word their decision. The jury can't just say "not guilty." They must specifically say the person is "not guilty by reason of insanity."

This matters because the two verdicts lead to very different outcomes. A regular "not guilty" verdict means the person walks free. But "not guilty by reason of insanity" usually means the person will be sent for a mental health evaluation and possibly committed to a mental health facility instead of being released outright.

The judge's instructions to the jury make sure everyone understands this difference before the jury makes its decision. This way, the record clearly shows why the person was found not guilty, and the court can take the right next steps based on that specific finding.