Using Brain Scans To Prove Your Client Is Innocent

The most recent episode of Justice Talking, a weekly radio program of the National Public Radio network in the United States, is devoted to Neurolaw: The New Frontier:

"Some lawyers are using brain scans showing defects to argue that their clients aren’t responsible for criminal behavior. In recent years, this neuroscientific evidence has been increasingly used in our courtrooms. But some scientists argue that the imaging is still new and unreliable, while others question whether juries should be ruling on what counts as a 'defective' brain. As neurolaw grows in influence, it could potentially revolutionize our notions of guilt and punishment as criminals say 'my brain made me do it.' Might we be, one day, just a brain scan away from a form of lie detection and prediction of criminal behavior? Tune in as we examine this new frontier of law on this edition of Justice Talking."

The website of the episode links to related caselaw and books.

It is possible to subscribe to the weekly podcast of Justice Talking or to browse through the archives of the show (325 episodes available).

Most of the episodes deal with American legal issues, but from time to time, Justice Talking tackles controversies that resonate beyond U.S. borders.