Psychiatrists' Diagnosis of Norway Killer Could Keep Him Out of Prison

Religion Today | Published: Dec 27, 2011

Psychiatrists' Diagnosis of Norway Killer Could Keep Him Out of Prison

December 29, 2011

Two psychiatrists have diagnosed Norwegian mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik with paranoid schizophrenic psychosis, which means that he could eventually be held in a forensic psychology clinic instead of in prison, SPIEGEL Online reports. However, since the psychiatrists presented their expert opinion to the Oslo court, criticism over their findings has grown as people question whether Breivik, who killed 77 people on a shooting spree at a youth camp in July, could be mentally ill and not responsible for his actions in the eyes of the law. Clinical psychologist Svenn Torgensen suggests officials might be trying to use a diagnosis of mental illness to make Breivik "disappear as quietly as possible."

Psychiatrists' Diagnosis of Norway Killer Could Keep Him Out of Prison