A 28-year-old man with intermittent explosive disorder commits a robbery. He states he knew the act was illegal and morally wrong, but felt an overwhelming, uncontrollable compulsion to steal the item at that exact moment. Under which medico-legal doctrine is this defense most appropriately argued?

• A Irresistible Impulse Test ✓
• B Durham Rule
• C McNaughten Rule
• D American Law Institute Test

Explanation

The Irresistible Impulse Test supplements the McNaughten Rule by addressing volitional control. C defendant using this defense admits knowing the act was wrong but claims a mental disease prevented them from controlling their actions. The McNaughten Rule only applies if the defendant lacked the cognitive knowledge of the act's nature or that it was wrong. The Durham Rule focuses solely on the act being the product of mental illness.

Reference: Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry, 11th ed.

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