What is the test for a jury to accept a defendant's description of his mental state?
California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Marsh, E064447 (Cal. App. 2017):
Moreover, even if there was no direct evidence that refuted defendant's description of his state of mind, the jury was not required to accept his testimony. "Direct evidence of the mental state of the accused is rarely available except through his or her testimony. The trier of fact is and must be free to disbelieve the testimony and to infer that the truth is otherwise when such an inference is supported by circumstantial evidence regarding the actions of the accused." (People v. Beeman (1984) 35 Cal.3d 547,
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