Although the law generally does not permit an individual to profit by his own wrongdoing, that equitable principle may be inapplicable in the case of an individual who has been adjudicated insane (and therefore has not committed a wrong in the eyes of the law). This paper discusses three unusual legacies of a determination of insanity: the inheritance cases (permitting the insane killer to inhe...

It is common law that persons cannot benefit from their crimes. For this reason, most states have enacted slayer rules that prevent a killer from sharing in the victim's estate. However, terms in the slayer rules, such as willful and unlawful, can be difficult to apply, as illustrated by the situation in which a slayer is found not guilty by reason of insanity. The Washington Supreme Court has ...