受死刑執行能力及受死刑執行能力鑑定之意義、內涵及其困境---以人權公約與美國法為探討契機

Abstract

確認死刑定讞待執行者之受刑能力為我國死刑執行前應注意事項，惟此受死刑執行能力之定義仍有待釐清，我國過去實務判決或學術文獻亦鮮少觸及。本論文從刑事法學和精神醫學的角度探討接受死刑執行能力的內涵，使用文獻回顧研究檢視人權公約和美國法下的相關規定、判決與學說理論，以及精神醫學界對受死刑執行能力的問題界定、實務發展與關注重點。 本論文從美國聯邦最高法院重要判決、各州政府制定法、美國律師協會，整理討論受死刑執行能力的核心內涵，包括是否應限定主體資格及與律師協同辯護之能力爭議，並探討背後可能隱含的刑罰目的（第二章）；接著探討人權公約對身心障礙者判處死刑的立場，藉由國外人權法院相關重要判決理解身心障礙者生命權保障之具體展現，據以從上述理論及實務中分析精神障礙者不應被判處死刑的立論與死刑能力的關係（第三章）。 完成上述檢視之後，回頭檢視精神鑑定實務，盤點我國法規範及國外持續發展之受死刑執行能力鑑定指引。接著，由於我國司法精神醫學界過去對於受死刑執行能力並無深入探究，此項能力精神鑑定能否具體回應法規範中的受死刑執行能力要件，以及當精神醫療團隊參與鑑定，必須面對的實務和倫理困境亦是不可迴避的挑戰；最後，「死囚現象」的定義與內涵，從精神病理學的觀點，是否影響受死刑執行能力，以及治療必要性亦是密切相關的議題（第四章）。 總而言之，本論文試圖為司法精神醫學界和法律界對此議題的不一致理解，找出對話的基礎，共同探究公平、人道和科學地評估一個人是否具有接受死刑執行的能力，從而對未來可能的精神鑑定實務和法律政策制定具有啟發意義。

Confirming the "competency to be executed" of a person sentenced to death should be considered before executing the death penalty in Taiwan. However, the definition of competency to be executed still needs to be clarified, and it has yet to be explored in past judicial decisions or academic literature. This paper aims to review the connotation of competency to be executed from criminal law and psychiatry perspectives. Using the literature review methodology to examine the relevant provisions, judicial decisions, theories under the Human Rights Conventions and American law, and explore the definition and practical development of issues on the competency to be executed. This paper first explores the core connotations of the competency to be executed under positive law from the United States federal and state Governments, American Bar Association, and important Federal Supreme Court decisions, including whether the subject qualifications should be limited and the controversy over the ability to assist counsel, and thus explores possible implicit purposes of punishment (Chapter 2). I delve into the position of the human rights covenants on the death penalty for persons with disabilities and understand the right to life of persons with disabilities through relevant judicial decisions of international courts of human rights, thus analyzing the relationship between the argument that persons with disabilities should not be executed and the competency to be executed (Chapter 3). Then, the thesis reviews the practice of psychiatric evaluation, lists current legal provisions of our country, and searches guidelines for evaluation of the competency to be executed that are currently to be developed or tentatively practiced. The evaluation of competency to be executed poses an unavoidable challenge since forensic psychiatrists have not conducted in-depth research on it. It is essential to determine if the evaluation can respond to the elements of competency to be executed and identify practical and ethical dilemmas that the psychiatric team may face when participating. In addition, the definition and connotation of "death row phenomenon", from a psychopathological view, whether it affects the competency to be executed, and the necessity of treatment are also closely related issues (Chapter 4). Overall, this thesis attempts to establish a basis for dialogue between the community of forensic psychiatry and the legal community's inconsistent understanding of this issue and jointly explore a fair, humane, and scientific assessment of a person's competency to be executed to guide forensic examination and legal policy formulation.