INTERSECTIONS IN CAPITAL DEFENCE: MENTAL HEALTH AND THE DEATH PENALTY
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Project 39A is a research and legal aid centre at the National Law University Delhi. It provides pro bono legal representation to death row prisoners across India, in addition to conducting empirical and doctrinal research on the death penalty, prevention of torture, legal aid, sentencing, and mental health and criminal justice. Currently, Project 39A is representing 60% of all death penalty cases in the Supreme Court. Since its inception in 2014, Project 39A has secured 22 acquittals in the Supreme Court and High Courts and 44 commutations, i.e. conversion of the death sentence to life imprisonment. Project 39A provided legal representation to the accused, in Accused X vs. State of Maharashtra (2019) where the Supreme Court recognised post-conviction mental illness as a mitigating circumstance in sentencing. It also provided legal representation to all three accused in the landmark case of Manoj & Ors. vs. State of Madhya Pradesh (2022) where the Supreme Court laid down death penalty sentencing guidelines.
About the programme:
India is seeing a growing need to address the complex realities and underpinnings of mental health of accused persons as well as its interaction with the justice system. But there continues to be a serious lack of resources for mental health professionals to meaningfully and effectively extend their expertise to defence lawyers, and by extension to judges in the courtroom. Project 39A’s upcoming year-long program, Intersections in Capital Defence (ICD), is designed to equip mental health professionals to engage with criminal cases, especially those relating to the death penalty, and be part of a robust network that can help realise the Constitution’s vision of equal access to quality legal representation and equal justice for all. The program aims to build capacity for robust relationships between mental health professionals and defence teams.
Eligibility:
The ICD program is open to Mental Health Professionals with advanced degrees in Psychology, Psychiatry, Psychiatric Social Work. Early-career professionals are encouraged to apply!
What’s in store for you?
Four-day residential program at the National Law University Delhi from 8-11 December, 2024
Regular, quarterly online sessions over the course of the next 12 months
Engagement with at least one death penalty case
What will you learn?
Critical perspectives on mental health and disability, and their interaction with criminal law
Foundational and interdisciplinary approaches to issues of crime and punishment
Perspectives on and lived experiences of the death penalty
The role of mental health professionals in capital defence
Working with criminal defence teams to ensure that mental health concerns of the accused are taken into account by courts
Writing an expert opinion for the defence
Who will be teaching you?
An interdisciplinary faculty of renowned Indian and international experts on law, psychology, psychiatry, and allied disciplines will deliver a diverse range of sessions to learners throughout the year.
The faculty for the residential workshop includes: