3 problems the defence Face when the defendant is pleading insanity . The defendant was in a hypoglycemic state after not talking insulin for undiagnosed diabetes . the defendant is charged with murdering his wife and has pleaded insanity due to the undiagnosed diabetes . Patrick Mahoney has been happily married to his wife, Cora, for the last five years. One evening, as the pair were about to head to bed, Patrick suddenly lunged at Cora striking her seven times around the head with a heavy crystal vase, causing her death. When questioned by police Patrick explained that he had no recollection of the events of that evening and that he could not explain why he had attacked Cora. Medical tests later revealed that Patrick was in a hyperglycaemic state resulting from undiagnosed diabetes which caused him to become confused at the Question 2 Describe three problems with the insanity defence