The Sleepwalking Defense

Parks was acquitted on both charges. A court of appeal upheld this verdict. Kenneth James Parks walked away, a free man.

In 1997, Scott and Yarmila Falater had been married for 20 years. Folks say it seemed like a good marriage. So why would Scott decide to kill his wife? Why would he stab her 44 times with a hunting knife and then push her into the family pool and hold her head under water? Scott says he can't tell you. He doesn't remember. He claims he was sleepwalking at the time.

One expert witness testified that "sleepwalking was by far the most probable explanation" for Falater's night of crime. The remainder of the expert team concurred.

After the lengthy trial, however, it took the jury only eight hours to bring back a verdict of guilty of premeditated murder. On January 10th of the year 2000, Scott Falater was sentenced to life imprisonment with no parole. Let's hope he sleeps well.

Strange Behavior

Sleepwalking is not uncommon. And people do strange things in their sleep. They move things to odd places, they turn on TVs and stereo equipment, some people even walk to the refrigerator, fix themselves a sandwich and eat it. All without the knowledge that they have even been out of bed.

Makes you wonder just how safe you are in your own home, doesn't it? Makes you wonder just what a sleepwalker is capable of.

The sleepwalking defense has been used many more times than what I have mentioned here. A case from British Columbia featured a man who stabbed his wife numerous times, hid her body and fled to Mexico. He claims he didn't wake up until he was across the Mexican border. There are many other cases just as bizarre.

Do you agree that sleepwalking should be used in defense of a crime? Please leave a comment and let us know your opinion on this touchy subject.