Opinion ID: 615299
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Competency Hearing Claim

Text: Jackson improperly raises his competency hearing claim in the context of his arguments about the procedural bar to our review of his right to be present claim. Only the right to be present claim, as it relates to Jackson’s ineffective assistance of counsel claim, was certified for review. Specifically, Jackson raised the following issues during post-conviction review: GROUND K. Petitioner was denied his right to be present during trial and personally confront the witnesses against him and, in the alternative, whether trial and appellate counsel were ineffective in handling these issues. GROUND L. The trial court erred in not holding a hearing to determine whether Jackson was competent to waive his right to be present and, in the alternative, whether trial and appellate counsel were ineffective for 9 Case: 10-70029 Document: 00511631846 Page: 10 Date Filed: 10/13/2011 No. 10-70029 not raising the issue. During federal habeas review, the district court granted a COA on the right to be present claim, but not the competency hearing claim. Although Jackson raises the competency hearing claim in conjunction with his attempt to overcome the procedural bar to his right to be present claim, the court’s review is limited to the sole issue in the COA granted by the district court. See Lackey v. Johnson, 116 F.3d 149, 151–52 (5th Cir. 1997). Therefore, our analysis focuses on Jackson’s ineffective assistance arguments only so far as they relate to Jackson’s right to be present claim.