If a defense of insanity or mental illness has been presented during a trial, the court shall provide the jury with a special verdict form of “guilty but mentally ill” for each offense. The court shall instruct the jury that a special verdict of “guilty but mentally ill” may be returned instead of a general verdict. The court shall also instruct the jury that the special verdict requires a finding beyond a reasonable doubt by the jury that the defendant committed the offense but that he was mentally ill at the time he committed the offense.

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Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 23A-25-13

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
  • Verdict: includes not only the verdict of a jury, but also the finding upon the facts of a judge, or of a referee appointed to determine the issues in a cause. See South Dakota Codified Laws 2-14-2

Source: SL 1983, ch 174, § 13; SL 1988, ch 191.