Opinion ID: 1309837
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Dr. Stalberg

Text: On February 16, 1981, Dr. Stalberg reported that defendant was competent to stand trial. Specifically, Dr. Stalberg opined that defendant [s]howed none of the bizarre, psychotic behavior, thinking or emotions that he has evidenced in past examinations and at his preliminary hearing. He was able to rationally describe the functioning of the court, stating that `At first I had a Public Defender for my pretrial arraignment and preliminary hearing.' He stated that now he has privately retained counsel, and he presumes his trial will begin upon his next day in court. Finally, Dr. Stalberg attempted to account for the conflicting psychiatric reports by reasoning, it appears that Dr. Faerstein examined the defendant early in the defendant's treatment, on 11-12-80, when the antipsychotic medication had not yet taken effect and [defendant] was very psychotic. By the time of the examinations of Drs. Hofman and Davis, in early and late December, 1980, the medication had effectively reduced [defendant's] psychotic thinking to render him competent to stand trial. Dr. Stalberg's evaluation, however, fails to account for Dr. Moskowitz's incompetency finding. Both the People and defendant acknowledge that although the trial court and counsel initially had anticipated a hearing on the competency issue, no such hearing was ever held, and the issue was never resolved on the record. The record reveals that the court never commented on the reports of the appointed psychiatrists regarding defendant's competency, nor did the court ever again mention the ordered section 1368 hearing or its earlier express finding of a doubt as to defendant's competency. The proceedings continued to trial without any objection from defense counsel.