SleepWalking-Valid Arguement in Trial

Sleepwalking as a defense to murder is completely crazy, but I believe it is valid. If one doesn't remember sleepwalking, how could they remember what they have done during it? I personally have dabbled with sleep-walking a couple times as a child, and my mother told me some pretty disturbing/hilarious things I did during it. Even after hearing those things though, I could not remember- I had no recollection of anything. I suppose that if a person truly was sleepwalking, they can't be held responsible for anything- even something as outrageous as murder. Of course, sleepwalking would be an awfully difficult thing to prove or disprove in court. I am also interested to see if this type of defense ever pops up in court, too!

From my understanding, sleepwalkers can be awakened as easily as someone who is asleep in their bed. Committing a murder is not something that can usually be done without at least some noise and struggling on the part of the victim that would wake the sleep walker and therefore I do not believe that sleepwalking should be a defense against committing murder. When you let people get away with pleas like this, it makes people feel like they will have a shot at getting away with something too and I do not think that without 100% proof we should allow such a thing into our criminal justice system.

Sleepwalking fascinates me. It makes me think of the movie Step Brothers. They move everything around and throw the dad down the stairs, but they don't wake up. I know it's a movie but you would think they would wake up. It doesn't seem right for sleepwalking to be an excuse for murder. I would love to read some trials where the defendant uses it as their excuse and see the outcome.

I have heard about sleepwalking being used as a defensive mechanism in some murder trials, but I disagree in its legitimacy. In my opinion, something deep in the subconscious levels of the sleepwalker's mind had to have led them to commit the horrendous act of murder. There had to have been some sort of incentive present in the sleepwalker's conscious mind to have it present while sleepwalking. However, this is only how I feel about the issue and I understand that there are many other views and beliefs. I just feel that the murder of an innocent person can't be pushed aside just because the person who committed the act of homicide was supposedly sleepwalking. Where exactly is there proof showing they were indeed sleeping?

I must disagree with the idea that sleepwalkers can be easily awakened. I had extensive nightmares and used to sleepwalk quite frequently when i was younger. I used to take showers while sleepwalking and my mother would have to make me get out and get back into bed. Not once, was she able to wake me up while sleepwalking. I think maybe this differs depending on the person, but for me I couldn't be easily aroused out of my sleepwalking state. I had no conscious understanding of what I was doing. The idea that someone could be murdered and the murderer would go free without punishment is troubling but as of right now I don't believe there is a clear solution. It would be difficult to prove that the things we do unconsciously are a product of our conscious desires.

I agree with the statement that sleepwalkers can be easily awakened. I think many people misinterpret this from sleepwalking scenes in movies. We are often shown that is it very dangerous to wake up a sleepwalking person, but the textbook stated that it is perfectly safe to do so. It is pretty easy to wake up a sleeping person so it only makes sense that it is just as easy to wake up a sleeping walking person. I agree with the comments that say sleepwalking should not be used as a defensive mechanism is murder trials. I do not think that not remembering something and not having control of your actions is ever an excuse. You control your body and your actions at all times. If not remembering your actions while sleepwalking is a valid statement for not being charged, then I think being intoxicated and not remembering your actions should be just as valid. I think you should always be at fault for your bodies actions no matter what state of mind you are in. I think it would be interesting if this issue were to come up again in the courts to see if they deal with the case any differently.

I think it is very interesting that this could be brought up! I was actually thinking about something similar as I was running today, about military personal trying to get out of being on active duty because they consider themselves 'insane.' I'm not saying anything negative against these individuals, but I do not think that it is a valid excuse for an instance such as murder. Along with being intoxicated when something of the same sense happens. In my opinion, murder is murder, straight forward. While this may be considered going to the extreme, I also believe that people with mental disabilities whom commit a severe crime should also be charged the same way. It is very hard to justify circumstances as this sort, and it is very unfortunate that they have to be brought about.

Sleepwalking is very interesting to me, as I used to sleep walk quite often when I was younger. For my 6th birthday, my parents bought me a black and white GameBoy. I was more than obsessed; I played it for hours a day. One evening, probably around the first week or so of owning my Gameboy. I sleepwalked from my corner bedroom on the second level of my house, to the basement game room. I sat on the couch in the dark holding my GameBoy, completely unaware and completely asleep. My mother heard me walk down the stairs and awoke me by simply turning on a light. My sleeping walking continued into 7th grade and my parents irrationally, wouldn't let me attend friends sleepovers in fear that I would leave the house. haha, It's silly looking back on it. I do not however thinking sleepwalking is a viable excuse for murder, unless one is under some type of medication. Doing significant physical labor, like lifting things out of a car trunk, would likely be impossible while sleeping or would wake up the person. I don't understand how that held up in court. I am sure that it was an interesting case to determine the verdict.

I think that the idea of someone going free of murder charges because of a sleepwalking defense is ridiculous. I understand that there are extreme cases of sleepwalking where people can't be awoken or can do absurd things but I still don't think this is an excuse to walk free of murder charges. The act was committed, and must be punished. While this may be harsh, I just don't see how such a severe act can be committed without waking up or remembering such a terrible deed. It is hard to justify defenses like sleepwalking or insanity but I don't think they should be treated any differently; a crime is a crime. As for the phenomena of sleepwalking as a whole, when it isn't dangerous anyway, I find it really interesting and hope to get a chance to study it more.

I have to agree with the comment above in that going free of murder charges because of sleepwalking is absurd. While sleepwalking can be so severe that that it is very hard to be awakened, I find it extremely hard to believe that someone would be able to commit murder without waking up from sleepwalking. Regardless the crime of murder is serious and the person regardless of state should be held responsible for their actions. I find this similar to the cases where insanity is claimed. This has been recently debated in the media with the case of Staff Sgt. Robert Bales reportedly killed 16 civilians. The claim is that he was suffering from mental disorders during his actions. These cases whether insane, or sleepwalking need to be punished the same and should not be used as a case for defense.

I for one think that murder is murder regardless if the person has claimed that it was done under sleepwalking. Why should anyone be considered innocent if they have clearly commited the action of violence and murder of another being? I hope that those who have been set free of murder charges because of reason of sleepwaking were intensively and critically reviewed for their claims.

I would love to see how that court case would turn out or what kind of evidence/excuses would be presented to prove the sleepwalking or excuse murder whilst sleepwalking. I don't think it should be justified but I can see where the dilemma is. If you murder someone unconsciously (whilst asleep), it's almost unfair. Imagine waking up and finding your roommate is dead and you murdered him/her- wouldn't that be a shock! If you never had any aggressive tendencies or thoughts of hurting others, how shocked would you be if you were imprisoned? Better safe than sorry, I would be for the prison sentence- but it would be a regretful situation.

Sleepwalking is a very fascinating subject. I personally have never, as far as I know, slept walk; however, I have friends and a sibling who have seen sleepwalking before. Without been awakened, sleepwalkers can do some pretty crazy things. However, I know it is quite easy to wake someone up who is sleepwalking. This makes me believe that someone would be woke up and aware of what was going on before ever murdering someone.

The fact that you cannot prove one way or another if someone was sleeping when they killed someone makes it seem absolutely ridiculous to use it as defense in a court of law. I would agree with the above statements, when it comes to waking someone up that is sleepwalking i do not think it would be that difficult. But from experience, my mother said I slept walked one night and I do not remember one bit of it, and although I cannot prove her incorrect or correct, in a sense that is very dangerous. If you cannot recall doing something what would then make it unnecessary to use in a court of law? This then would lead to if someone was lying or telling the truth and in turn just shows how much we have to learn still about the subject.