[Grammar] Mental Defect?

[Jamiehh]

I read some newspaper:


"His lawyers argued that he was not guilty by reason of mental defect, and a defense psychiatrist testified that Muhammad was delusional."

Shouldn't there be some article before "mental defect", since "defect" is countable?

 

[JohnParis]

Good question. Very observant.
In this case, however, "not guilty by reason of mental defect" is a defense term taken from a written penal code. It is a specific term unto itself and no article is necessary.

John