Insanity ruling not likely for Breivik

The head of the panel mandated to review the psychiatric state of Anders Behring Breivik says the suspect is unlikely to declared insane.

Dr. Tarjei Rygnested is the head of the Norwegian Board of Forensic Medecine. He’s also at the head of the board that will review Breivik’s psychiatric evaluation, the man accused of killing 77 people in Norway on July 22nd.

Rygnested says that an insanity ruling is unlikely because he doesn’t think Breivik was in a state of psychosis at the time. Norwegian law states that a culprit must have been in a state of psychosis to be legally declared insane. That means Breivik would have had to lose contact with reality to the point of losing control.  

Breivik pleaded not guilty to charges of terrorism, which carry a maximum sentence of 21 years. However, those could be changed to a charge of crimes against humanity. Crimes against humanity carry a 30 year maximum sentence.  Breivik confessed to the July 22^nd massacre on Monday. He will be held in complete isolation for at least the next 8 weeks.