[BitWielder1]

They are probably told to fake illness to avoid a trial.
Not puzzling at all.

[NorthMountain]

They are probably told to fake illness to avoid a trial.

this.

[Chewbarkah]

Exactly. Lawyers always try to get their clients on a “treatment track” as standard procedure, and judges order health/mental health evaluations as a form of defensive medicine and CYA at public expense.

The other reality is that a large percentage of criminals either started out with mental problems or brought them on through heavy drug use. Why this is somehow redeeming is beyond me.