Arguement: We must understand that innocence, or innocent people cannot be evil or have any true hatred. They may be hatefull or do evil things, but such acts are not under their control, nor would they even be conceived wrong by the innocent.

Claim: In or Mice and Men Lennie is an example of an innocent man. He is not aware that what he does is wrong, even when he kills. Thus we cannot blame him for his actions, in fact if anyone is to be blamed it would have to be those around him who are 'role models,' providing a standard that Lennie believes he should follow.

Evidence: "Lennie, although slow, has no malice. Even when he is under physical attack from Curley, he restrains himself until George orders him to take action. Lennie, however, stricken by fear, loses control and cannot let go of his attacker."

http://web.ebscohost.com.lib.chandleraz.gov/lrc/detail?vid=5&hid=111&sid=ce52ca18-0362-43ca-bf4b-644f0defef22%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9bHJjLWxpdmU%3d#db=lfh&AN=103331JYS12509720000059

Argument: We know that mentally ill people are innocent bacause of the relationships we have with them. Although we may get frustrated it is difficult to get truly mad at someone who doesn't know that what they do is wrong.

Claim: Despite the fact that George gets in trouble a lot because of Lennie he still treats him like a brother and takes care of him. This is because of Lenny's childlike innocence; George cannot bring himself to dislike someone who honestly doesn't know that what he is doing is wrong.

Evidence: "Brusque, friendless George Milton has been taking care of big, strong, slow-witted Lenny Small for so long that each has become as brother to the other. Lenny's great physical strength, coupled with his childlike innocence, has gotten him into trouble in the past. George has always been quick to save him..." (Recommended Reading: 500 Classics Reviewed)
"George needs Lenny as friend, family, and devoted partner." (Recommended Reading: 500 Classics Reviewed)

Similar to relationships involving toddlers and babies; We want to get mad at them but we cannnot because we know they did not mean it.

Argument: This site illustrates how mentally ill or insane people are dealt with in terms of prison and their ability to understand that what they did was wrong. More specifically it explains how rare it is for a mentally unstable person to be involved in a crime, or for people to plead insanity.

Claim: This site explains that only one in twenty violent crimes are committed by mentally ill people. It goes on to list and explain different accommodations that the government and the judicial system of America have made for the mentally ill. It also discusses the the criminally insane, or the mentally ill people that are dangerous in nature.

Evidence: " People with severe mental illness are responsible for less than one in 20 violent crimes. BBC"(karisable.com).
"The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits criminal prosecution of a defendant who is not competent to stand trial. Drope v. Missouri, 420 U.S. 162 (1975); Pate v. Robinson, 383 U.S. 375 (1966)."(karisable.com).
"Temporary insanity is when a sane defendant was rendered temporarily insane during the commission of the crime. This defense was first used in 1859 by New York Congressman Daniel Sickles after he killed his wife's lover, Philip Barton Key."(karisable.com).