Can or should a sleeper be held responsible
I watched this a long time ago, and it has stayed with me ever since. It is based on actual events — a famous 1987 Canadian legal case.
Directed by John Cosgrove, *The Sleepwalker Killing* stars Hilary Swank as Lauren Schall, Charles Esten as Mark Schall, and Jeffrey Nordling as Detective Lloyd Boyko.
It tells the story of a man who wakes up to a nightmare he cannot remember. After a violent night, he turns himself in — but he claims he has no memory of what happened. His defense team finds evidence that suggests he may have been sleepwalking when it happened.
That is the question at the heart of this film, and it is a frightening one to think about. Sleepwalking is real, and it can be dangerous — not just for the person sleepwalking, but for the people around them.
**When should you wake a sleepwalker?**
Wake the person up only if they are in immediate physical danger — such as walking toward a busy street, trying to drive, standing near an open window, or handling hot stove burners.
If you do need to wake a sleepwalker:
• Do it as gently and calmly as possible.
• Expect them to be confused, disoriented, or startled.
• Reassure them right away and let them know they are safe, as they may react with fear or lashing out because their brain is still partially asleep.
What are your thoughts? If a sleepwalker commits violence while "asleep," should they be held criminally responsible?
The floor is yours.
Edited 9h ago
Can or should a sleeper be held responsible
I watched this a long time ago, and it has stayed with me ever since. It is based on actual events — a famous 1987 Canadian legal case.
Directed by John Cosgrove, *The Sleepwalker Killing* stars Hilary Swank as Lauren Schall, Charles Esten as Mark Schall, and Jeffrey Nordling as Detective Lloyd Boyko.
It tells the story of a man who wakes up to a nightmare he cannot remember. After a violent night, he turns himself in — but he claims he has no memory of what happened. His defense team finds evidence that suggests he may have been sleepwalking when it happened.
That is the question at the heart of this film, and it is a frightening one to think about. Sleepwalking is real, and it can be dangerous — not just for the person sleepwalking, but for the people around them.
**When should you wake a sleepwalker?**
Wake the person up only if they are in immediate physical danger — such as walking toward a busy street, trying to drive, standing near an open window, or handling hot stove burners.
If you do need to wake a sleepwalker:
• Do it as gently and calmly as possible.
• Expect them to be confused, disoriented, or startled.
• Reassure them right away and let them know they are safe, as they may react with fear or lashing out because their brain is still partially asleep.
What are your thoughts? If a sleepwalker commits violence while "asleep," should they be held criminally responsible?
The floor is yours.
Edited 9h ago
