An introduction to forensic psychiatry.

London : University of London Audio-Visual Centre, 1980.

1 encoded moving image (36.14 min.) : sound, color.

00:36:14

University of London

Unrestricted

CC-BY-NC

Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 2.0 UK: England & Wales

In English

Presented by John Gunn, Professor of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London. With Richard Ireson. Medical Editor, Julian Bird. Produced by Martin Hayden. Made by University of London Audio-Visual Centre. Made for British Postgraduate Medical Federation.

This video is one of around 310 titles, originally broadcast on Channel 7 of the ILEA closed-circuit television network, given to Wellcome Trust from the University of London Audio-Visual Centre shortly after it closed in the late 1980s. Although some of these programmes might now seem rather out-dated, they probably represent the largest and most diversified body of medical video produced in any British university at this time, and give a comprehensive and fascinating view of the state of medical and surgical research and practice in the 1970s and 1980s, thus constituting a contemporary medical-historical archive of great interest.

Segment 1 A restaged scene in which a patient (played by an actor) describes how he found his wife covered in blood. Professor Gunn describes how this is based on a real patient of his who he names here, Sam. He introduces the subject of forensic psychiatry. Time start: 00:00:00:00 Time end: 00:05:02:16 Length: 00:05:02:16

Segment 2 Gunn discusses issues of responsibility and how certain psychiatric conditions can be considered excuses for criminal behaviour in court. Time start: 00:05:02:16 Time end: 00:10:10:00 Length: 00:05:07:09

Segment 3 Gunn is shown with patient Sam as the re-enactment of the case continues. Gunn asks Sam a series of questions to ascertain his role in the death of his wife. Time start: 00:10:10:00 Time end: 00:14:10:15 Length: 00:04:00:15

Segment 4 We cut back to Gunn in the studio where he reads information out from the trial record. Although it was clear that Sam was suffering from epilepsy, the court ruled that he was not in a state of altered consciousness at the time of the murder and he is sentenced to life imprisonment. Time start: 00:14:10:15 Time end: 00:19:28:15 Length: 00:05:18:00

Segment 5 Gunn discusses the McNaughton Rules which allow for acquittal of suspects if their mental health means they are not fully responsible for their actions. He then discusses the Homicide Act from 1957. Time start: 00:19:28:15 Time end: 00:24:32:00 Length: 00:05:03:10

Segment 6 Gunn talks about sentencing and how decisions are made whether someone should go to hospital or prison. The re-enactment with Sam then continues, with Sam discussing what happened to him in prison. Time start: 00:24:32:00 Time end: 00:31:47:00 Length: 00:05:15:00

Segment 7 Gunn concludes the story of Sam by saying that it became obvious later that he didn't know what he was doing with he murdered his wife as the prison reported him having epileptic fits followed by confusional paranoid and agressive episodes. Time start: 00:31:47:00 Time end: 00:36:14:24 Length: 00:04:27:24