Opinion ID: 4401994
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Motion for Mental Evaluation

Text: ¶7. The hearing began with Parker’s counsel confirming she and her co-counsel did not believe they could, as a matter of professional ethics, present Parker’s motion. Specifically, counsel stated that, “I don’t believe under M’Naghten that I would be able to present that motion.” Parker then argued his motion pro se. He first attempted to rely on what he had written in his unsworn motion. The motion cited what the Burketts and arresting officers had allegedly said about this behavior the night he shot Eric. But the trial judge instructed Parker that he could not cite what other people allegedly said outside the courtroom as evidence. The trial judge then asked a series of probing questions about Parker’s mental-health and prescription-drug history. Parker recollected he had suffered from anxiety and depression and once attempted suicide. At the end of the hearing, the trial judge concluded: Basically based on what the [trial] Court has to look at in terms of the treatment for anxiety and depression and the unfortunate event with attempting to commit suicide one time, there’s nothing in anything, that information or the demeanor I’ve seen, the motions that have been filed, the court file itself, my interactions with Mr. Parker to lead me to believe that there’s any rational basis for appointing a psychiatrist or psychologist to examine him for the purpose of determining either his competency or sanity. ¶8. The case proceeded to trial three days later. The jury found Parker guilty of aggravated assault and using a firearm during the commission of his crime. The judge 4 sentenced Parker to twenty years for the assault conviction, with an additional five years for the firearm enhancement.