Les Zaitz
Oregon Should Overhaul Handling of Insanity Defendants, Says Head of Psychiatry Security Review Board
The board’s executive director acknowledged gaps in the system for treating and discharging people found criminally insane and said the Legislature should weigh appointing a task force to consider reforms.
Oregon Court System Shields Evaluation of Alleged Killer
Last year, Oregon officials tried unsuccessfully to keep secret records on a man found “guilty except for insanity” in a 1996 kidnapping. Now, the state court system is refusing to release a key record in his new murder case even though it's not “legally confidential.”
How an Oregon Weekly Forced Release of Key Records in Murder Cases
Oregon sued a tiny newspaper to keep records secret relating to the state’s release of defendants found “guilty except for insanity.” The paper prevailed and is using the records to explore a series of troubling cases.
