Case Name: Natina WARREN Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1989-05-04
Citations: 543 So. 2d 315
Docket Number: No. 88-1068
Parties: Natina WARREN Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: ORFINGER, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 543
Pages: 315–316

Head Matter:
Natina WARREN Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 88-1068.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
May 4, 1989.
James B. Gibson, Public Defender, and Brynn Newton, Asst. Public Defender, Daytona Beach, for appellant.
Robert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Laura Griffin, Asst. Atty. Gen., Daytona Beach, for appellee.

Opinion:
COBB, Judge.
The appellant was convicted of four counts of sale of cocaine and four counts of possession of cocaine. She appeals and we reverse for a new trial.
We believe the instant appeal is controlled by the recent opinion of Tingle v. State, 536 So.2d 202 (Fla.1988). The trial judge, based on his own personal observation, denied a pretrial motion seeking a competency hearing. The motion, predicated on erratic behavior and statements to counsel by the defendant, was renewed at trial. As stated in Tingle, the trial judge's independent investigation is not sufficient to insure that a defendant is not deprived of his due process right of not being tried while mentally incompetent.
REVERSED and REMANDED for new trial consistent with the requirements of Tingle.
ORFINGER, J., concurs.
COWART, J., concurs and concurs specially with opinion in which
ORFINGER, J., also concurs.