I became interested in sleepwalking criminals after my brother recommended Sleepwalk Crimes, a video that he happened to view on a plane ride. Once I heard about the video, I had to watch it. The notion of sleepwalking crimes raised important questions, and I wondered how sleepwalking criminals would fare in a court of law: Should they be found guilty or would judges and juries acquit such criminals?

Some of the most notorious sleepwalking criminals depicted in the film include Scott Falater, who, in 1997, stabbed his wife 44 times; Michael Ricksgers, who, in 1993, shot his wife in the middle of the night; and Kenneth Parks, who drove 14 miles and stabbed his mother-in-law to death. In most of these cases, the jury found evidence of a motive or concluded that the actions were too deliberate to constitute sleepwalking. But for Kenneth Parks, the jury acknowledged his defense. He was acquitted because it was determined that he was sleepwalking at the time of the incident—a verdict illustrating that genuine sleepwalkers can be held legally unaccountable for a sleepwalking crime.

Watching Sleepwalk Crimes, which included footage of people unconsciously flailing their arms, screaming, and eating in their sleep, reinforced that sleepwalkers are oblivious to their actions. Do a quick search on YouTube.com, and you can find footage of sleepwalkers who are unaware of their behavior. Their eyes are glazed over; they are confused; and they wander unconsciously.

Some might say that sleepwalkers still committed their crime and that they should be legally responsible. Not necessarily so. Murder charges, for example, require voluntary actions and the requisite of intent. If a person is sleepwalking, their actions cannot be voluntary since they do not know what they are doing.

With National Sleep Foundation statistics gauging the prevalence of sleepwalking in the general population as 1% to 15%, professionals who treat such disorders should not discount the possibility of a patient committing a sleepwalking crime but should take extra care to both treat and educate. Learning about sleepwalking will help the patient and family members understand the disorder and take any needed preventive measures.

Whether treating sleepwalking or a number of other sleep disorders, sleep professionals play an enormous role in the fate of their patients.

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