Substantial Evidence of Mental Incompetence

[摘要] competence to stand trialwaive right to counselsubstantial evidenceretrospectivedeath penaltyProcedural Due Process Requires a Competency Hearing When Substantial Evidence of Mental Incompetence is Presented from an Expert’s Uncontested OpinionIn People v. Wycoff, 493 P.3d 789 (Cal. 2021), the Supreme Court of California considered whether the trial court erred in failing to initiate competency procedures after a forensic psychologist submitted a pretrial opinion that the defendant was not competent to stand trial. The defendant subsequently represented himself and was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced to death. The Supreme Court of California reversed the judgment on the basis that the uncontradicted opinion of a mental health professional presented, as a matter of law, substantial evidence of the defendant’s mental incompetence.

[学科分类] 儿科学

[关键词] competence to stand trial;waive right to counsel;substantial evidence;retrospective;death penalty