Norwegian prosecutors trying confessed killer Anders Behring Breivik say they want him to undergo compulsory psychiatric treatment instead of prison.
But if the court decides that Breivik is guilty, prosecutors asked for the maximum penalty of 21 years in prison, a sentence that can be extended as long as Breivik is considered a danger to society.
Breivik has undergone two psychiatric evaluations, one ruling him mentally incompetent and the other ruling him sane.
Prosecutor Svein Holden told the court Thursday that his team believes it is worse to send a psychotic person to detention than it is to send a non-psychotic person to mandatory mental care.
Breivik admits to killing 77 people last July during attacks on a government building in Oslo and a political youth camp. He said he was acting to fight multiculturalism in Norway and what he sees as a Muslim invasion of Europe.
Breivik has told the court that the report declaring him insane was based on "fabrications" by court-appointed psychiatrists. He has previously said an insanity ruling would be "worse than death."
The defense is scheduled to make closing arguments Friday.