Code of Alabama
Ala. Code § 15-16-24 (2026)
Special Verdict of Not Guilty Due to Insanity; General Verdict of Not Guilty or Verdict of Conviction.
✓ official Alabama Legislature (ALISON) text, current July 2026
If it shall appear from the evidence that a defendant did the act charged as constituting the offense, but at the time of committing the act he was insane, the jury shall render a special verdict to the effect that the defendant is not guilty by reason of insanity, but if the jury does not believe from the evidence that the defendant committed the act or if it believes from the evidence that he is not guilty upon any ground other than his alleged insanity, it must return a general verdict of not guilty; otherwise, it must return a verdict of conviction.
(Code 1896, §4940; Code 1907, §7177; Code 1923, §4574; Code 1940, T. 15, §424.)
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3
cases, 1983–2010 · leading case: Dotch v. State, 67 So. 3d 936 (Ala. Crim. App. 2010).
Dotch v. State, 67 So. 3d 936 (Ala. Crim. App. 2010). “According to § 15-16-24, Ala.Code 1975: “If it shall appear from the evidence that a defendant did the act charged as constituting the offense, but at the time of committing the act he was insane, the jury shall render a special verdict to the effect that the defendant is not…”
Jetton v. State, 435 So. 2d 167 (Ala. Crim. App. 1983). “Under § 15-16-24, Code of Alabama 1975, this was their only function.”
McSwain v. Stricklin, 540 So. 2d 81 (Ala. Civ. App. 1989). “The other code section mentioned in § 22-52-33 is § 15-16-24, which pertains only to possible jury verdicts in cases where there is a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.”
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