excuse defense automatism defense https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatism_(law) https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4826641 A rarely used criminal defense. It is one of the mental condition defenses that relate to the mental state of the defendant. Automatism can be seen variously as lack of voluntariness, lack of culpability (unconsciousness) or excuse (Schopp). Automatism means that the defendant was not aware of his or her actions when making the particular movements that constituted the illegal act. automatism defense of automatism