US EditionB.C. Man Acquitted of Sexual Assault After Mushroom-Induced Psychosis
- Leon-Jamal Daniel Barrett was acquitted in March 2023 of sexual assault and related charges stemming from a 2019 incident involving a 49-year-old woman in British Columbia.
- Barrett argued that consuming magic mushrooms induced automatism, temporarily removing his criminal responsibility, amid evolving law and the 2022 Supreme Court ruling striking down Section 33.1 of the Criminal Code.
- During the incident, Barrett forcibly pulled the victim down, tried to kiss her, removed his clothes, pushed her down steps, and tried to pull off her jeans while she screamed and bit his tongue.
- Judge Hinkson noted the victim remains traumatized and in pain, Barrett will live with knowledge of his actions without conviction, and called the case unusual amid changing intoxication laws.
- The ruling highlights legal debate as the Supreme Court found Section 33.1 risks wrongful convictions by punishing cases where intoxication effects were unforeseeable and involuntary.
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B.C. man acquitted of sexual assault after blaming 'automatism' on magic mushrooms
The case, which the judge called "unusual," highlights the long and controversial legal history surrounding horrific acts of violence and claims of automatism — a term describing unconscious, involuntary behaviour.
·Canada
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