We focus on defendant's inability to assist in his defense. Amnesia about events surrounding a charge does not automatically render a defendant incompetent to stand trial. Rather, each case rests with its own particular facts. The strength of the prosecutor's case against the defendant. We first consider the nature and extent of defendant's impairment.
Defendant suffers from psychogenic amnesia.
This type of amnesia is described as a defense mechanism more than a mental illness. It is a way of dealing with a traumatic incident too overwhelming to confront. Psychogenic amnesia is the mind's unconscious attempt to erase the recollection of an event. There is no definitive treatment to restore the memory. In this case, defendant was unable to recall the events surrounding the crime.