Editing Insanity (section)

==Feigning==
Feigned insanity is the simulation of mental illness in order to deceive. Amongst other purposes, insanity is feigned in order to avoid or lessen the consequences of a confrontation or conviction for an alleged crime. A number of treatises on medical jurisprudence were written during the nineteenth century, the most famous of which was [[Isaac Ray]] in 1838 (fifth edition 1871); others include Ryan (1832), Taylor (1845), Wharton and Stille (1855), [[John Ordronaux (doctor)|Ordronaux]] (1869), Meymott (1882). The typical techniques as outlined in these works are the background for Dr. Neil S. Kaye's widely recognized guidelines that indicate an attempt to feign insanity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://courtpsychiatrist.com/pdf/Feigned%20Insanity%20in%20Nineteenth.pdf|title=Feigned Insanity in Nineteenth Century America Legal Cases |author=Neil S. Kaye M.D.}}</ref>

One famous example of someone feigning insanity is [[American Mafia|Mafia]] boss [[Vincent Gigante]], who pretended for years to be suffering from dementia, and was often seen wandering aimlessly around his neighborhood in his pajamas muttering to himself. Testimony from informants and surveillance showed that Gigante was in full control of his faculties the whole time, and ruled over his Mafia family with an iron fist.<ref>{{cite news|last=Selwyn|first=Rabb|title=Vincent Gigante, Mafia Leader Who Feigned Insanity, Dies at 77|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/19/obituaries/19cnd-gigante.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1|newspaper=[[New York Times]]|access-date=24 April 2011|date=19 December 2005}}</ref>

Today feigned insanity is considered [[malingering]]. In a 2005 court case, ''[[United States v. Binion]]'', the [[defendant]] was [[prosecuted]] and  [[conviction|convicted]] for  [[obstruction of justice]] (adding to his original  [[Sentence (law)|sentence]]) because he feigned insanity in a [[Competency evaluation (law)|Competency to Stand Trial evaluation]].