(a) In any prosecution for an offense, it is an affirmative defense that, at the time of the conduct charged, as a result of mental illness or serious mental disorder, the accused lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of the accused's conduct. If the defendant prevails in establishing the affirmative defense provided in this subsection, the trier of fact shall return a verdict of “not guilty by reason of insanity.”
(b) Where the trier of fact determines that, at the time of the conduct charged, a defendant suffered from a mental illness or serious mental disorder which substantially disturbed such person's thinking, feeling or behavior and/or that such mental illness or serious mental disorder left such person with insufficient willpower to choose whether the person would do the act or refrain from doing it, although physically capable, the trier of fact shall return a verdict of “guilty, but mentally ill.”
(c) It shall not be a defense under this section if the alleged insanity or mental illness was proximately caused by the voluntary ingestion, inhalation or injection of intoxicating liquor, any drug or other mentally debilitating substance, or any combination thereof, unless such substance was prescribed for the defendant by a licensed health-care practitioner and was used in accordance with the directions of such prescription. As used in this chapter, the terms “insanity” or “mental illness” do not include an abnormality manifested only by repeated criminal or other antisocial conduct.
Structure Delaware Code
Title 11 - Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Chapter 4. DEFENSES TO CRIMINAL LIABILITY
§ 401. Mental illness or psychiatric disorder.
§ 409. Verdict of “guilty, but mentally ill” — Parole; probation.
§ 421. Voluntary intoxication.
§ 422. Intoxication not mental illness.
§ 423. Involuntary intoxication as a defense.
§ 424. Definitions relating to intoxication.
§ 431. Duress as affirmative defense; defense unavailable in certain situations.
§ 432. Entrapment as affirmative defense; defense unavailable in certain situations.
§ 441. Ignorance or mistake of fact as defense.
§ 451. Consent of victim to acts not involving physical injury as defense.
§ 452. Consent of victim to inflictions of physical injury as defense.
§ 453. Circumstances negativing consent as defense.
§ 454. Knowledge of victim's age.
§ 461. Justification — A defense.
§ 462. Justification — Execution of public duty.
§ 463. Justification — Choice of evils.
§ 464. Justification — Use of force in self-protection.
§ 465. Justification — Use of force for the protection of other persons.
§ 466. Justification — Use of force for the protection of property.
§ 467. Justification — Use of force in law enforcement.
§ 469. Justification — Person unlawfully in dwelling.
§ 470. Provisions generally applicable to justification.
§ 471. Definitions relating to justification.
§ 475. Immunity as an affirmative defense.