Many Colorado insanity plea patients still hospitalized

More than half of the patients committed to the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo during the past 10 years after being found not guilty by reason of insanity are still there.

Hospital officials say 135 patients were committed to the state hospital over the past 10 or so years after being found criminally insane by the courts, and 78 are currently still being treated as inpatients.

The Pueblo Chieftain reports patients are not listed by crime. Hospital officials say they cannot discuss treatment of patients because of privacy issues.