Have you heard the story of Billy Milligan? Everyone is arguing to answer the question, “should Billy Milligan be punished for his actions?” 

 

If you haven’t heard the story of Billy, watch the documentary on Netflix, “Monsters Inside: The 24 Faces of Billy Milligan.” Billy Milligan is a man who has been identified with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder), a rare mental health disorder. 

 

DID is often caused due to past traumas, and some symptoms are being unable to control your actions, memory gaps, and having 2 or more personalities. The personalities are able to disconnect the actual person from reality and play a role that they believe they are. A person's personality can be a different gender and have a totally different origin than the original. 

 

Billy had a hard time growing up because he was unaware of his disorder, and from a young age, crimes were committed by some of his personalities. Now him being unaware made it even more dangerous, as he was not able to control his actions. Some of the crimes he has committed are armed theft and three rapes.

 

Billy was sent to prison for his actions and had many doctors talk to him about what was going on, but was set free after his sentences. Many people question what should happen when someone has DID and commits a crime. The conclusion that most people decided would be most useful would be helping the person with the mental illness, and then once they are better than they should proceed to suffer the consequences of their actions.  

 

One person commented, “in my opinion that dude should be placed where he can be safe and those around him as well. He should be put in something that will get him help, like something therapeutic and if by chance he gets better then he should suffer the consequences of what he has done.”  Do you agree with the results of the research provided? Or is there something that you would do differently in this situation if you could?

 

Here are other articles that may provide you with more information on Billy Mulligan:

• The Columbus Dispatch

• Esquire 

• The Daily Beast