California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Balint, G038238 (Cal. App. 6/18/2008), G038238. (Cal. App. 2008):
As the court noted in People v. Coddington (2000) 23 Cal.4th 529, overruled on another ground in Price v. Superior Court (2001) 25 Cal.4th 1046, 1069, fn. 13 "The morality contemplated [by the statute defining the insanity defense] is, as the prosecutor argued here, not simply the individual's belief in what conduct is or is not good. While it need not reflect the principles of a recognized religion and does not demand belief in a God or other supreme being, it does require a sincerely held belief grounded in generally accepted ethical or moral principles derived from an external source. `[M]oral obligation in the context of the insanity defense means generally accepted moral standards and not those standards peculiar to the accused. [Citation.]'" (Id. at p. 608.)
The court's modification of the instruction was a succinct and correct statement of the law.
3. CALCRIM No. 3450 is a correct statement of the law.
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