The Crummles Case Study

Furthermore, the NCRMD defence would apply to Crummles case if the toxic psychosis lasted for two months after the ingestion of the methamphetamine drug because the toxic psychosis will be legally defined as a mental disorder under section 16(1) of the Criminal Code (Criminal Code, 1985, s 16(1)). For example, the toxic psychosis is a mental illness that impairs the human mind and its functioning due to the hallucinations, but it occurs for two months after the ingestion of the methamphetamine drug (Verdun-Jones, 2014, p. 206). However, the NCRMD defence will be successful in the Crummles case if it can be proven that the accused lacked the mental capability to appreciate the nature and quality of the criminal act and the accused person lacked the capability to know the act or omission was wrong (Verdun-Jones, 2014, p. 208). Moreover, Crummles didn’t self-induce the methamphetamine drug (crystal meth) that caused toxic psychosis, but was induced by his friend Pumblechook as Crummles believed that he merely consumed a strong dose of caffeine, which also warrants a NCRMD defence due to the absence of the self-induced element.
Crummles didn’t have the ability to appreciate the nature and quality of the aggravated assault [s.
268(1)] against Buzfuz because Crummles lacked the capacity to perceive the negative consequences, impact, and results of his aggravated assault due to the presence of hallucinations from toxic psychosis (Verdun-Jones, 2014, p.
209). Moreover, Crummles lacked the ability to appreciate that the aggravated assault [s. 268(1)] was wrong because Crummles believed that Buzfuz was the “devil” and he needed to kill the “devil” in order to save his own life and Crummles thought he was acting in a manner that was morally justified by other members of the society. This implies that Crummles was incapable of knowing that the society considers the assault as being morally wrong because Crummles believed he was acting in favour of the society by assaulting the “devil” that could potentially harm him or other members of the society.