Opinion ID: 853338
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: At the Postconviction Relief Proceedings

Text: Timberlake's postconviction counsel argue that mental illness prevented Timberlake from rationally consulting with them, thus depriving him of a fair postconviction proceeding. [2] Timberlake's counsel filed a motion to determine competency on August 2, 1999. Timberlake was examined by several doctors and competency hearings were held on September 15, September 29, and October 5, 1999. The postconviction court ruled that Timberlake was competent to proceed. Timberlake sought to file an interlocutory appeal and moved to stay the postconviction proceedings due to incompetence. This Court denied both motions. The claim of incompetence in a postconviction proceeding presents two distinct issues: (1) whether Timberlake was incompetent, or unable to assist his counsel in the preparation of his case and to understand the nature of the postconviction proceedings, and (2) whether competence, as that term is understood in cases addressing a defendant's due process rights at trial, is required in postconviction proceedings. The postconviction court found against Timberlake on the first issue. Because we agree that Timberlake's mental state did not render him unable to understand the nature of the proceedings and assist in his defense, we affirm the trial court's ruling on this point. We therefore leave for another day the State's plausible contention that competency is not required for postconviction proceedings. We observe, however, that it surely is not an inflexible requirement. It cannot be the case that in all circumstances an improperly convicted person has no remedy because of his incompetence. Cf. Jackson v. Indiana, 406 U.S. 715, 92 S.Ct. 1845, 32 L.Ed.2d 435 (1972), rev'g Jackson v. State, 253 Ind. 487, 255 N.E.2d 515 (1970). The postconviction court did not address the second issue, but determined there was [e]xtensive evidence ... heard on this [first] issue, and Petitioner was found competent to pursue post-conviction relief. His counsel report that Timberlake says there is a machine that is able to monitor his words and thoughts and has been used to kill other prisoners. [3] According to his attorneys, Timberlake believes this machine to be the only issue relevant to his case, and he will not cooperate with them if he does not find his attorneys' actions or strategic decisions relevant to exposing the machine. His counsel contend that Timberlake's belief results from a mental disease that causes him to see the world only through a deluded version of reality. The postconviction court applied the familiar standard for trial competencythe ability to understand the nature of the proceedings and assist in the preparation of his defenseas the standard for competency to pursue postconviction relief. See I.C. § 35-36-3-1(a); Brewer, 646 N.E.2d at 1384. The court then held multiple hearings on the issue and heard from four experts: Drs. Masbaum, Deaton, Crane, and Ochberg. All four found that Timberlake understood the nature of the proceedings. Two of the doctors, Masbaum and Crane, determined that, although Timberlake suffered from delusions, he was competent to assist in his own defense. The other two, Deaton and Ochberg, felt that Timberlake was delusional and could not cooperate or work adequately with postconviction counsel. After hearing all the evidence, the postconviction court determined that Timberlake was competent and made detailed findings as to Timberlake's competence. [4] These included: g. That the Court finds by its own observations that the Petitioner was able to conduct himself in an appropriate manner and was able to understand and comply with the commands and requests of the Court during the Court proceedings. Such observations by the Court were consistent with the psychiatric testimony presented in the cause. Further, the Court finds that Petitioner was able to understand and follow the commands and requests of the Bailiffs and/or Police Officers during Court proceedings. Finally, as set forth in the psychiatric testimony, the Court finds that the Petitioner was able to understand and comply with commands or requests of his counsels [sic]. h. That the Petitioner has shown an extensive knowledge and memory of the proceedings and has also demonstrated that he is well versed in the law. He is very exacting that statements found in pleadings and statements in the courtroom be correct. . . . . i. Court finds that the Petitioner understands that he has been convicted of a capital crime, that he was not successful on the appeal of such conviction and that these proceedings are his last attempt to review this case, and if he is not successful in this proceeding or if necessary upon appeal, he will be executed. Because Timberlake has not established that the evidence unmistakably points to a contrary conclusion, he cannot prevail on this claim. We conclude that the postconviction court's ruling on Timberlake's competency is supported by this record, though no single item is conclusive. It seems clear that Timberlake was able to understand the nature of the proceedings against him. [5] Second, although Timberlake may not have cooperated with his lawyers when he disagreed with their strategies, he has not established that he was unable to assist in his own defense. We have no basis to dispute his attorneys' contention that he was, and presumably is, an extremely difficult client. Nevertheless, counsel were able to converse with him and provide an adequate postconviction review of his convictions and sentence. Timberlake's postconviction counsel conducted a five-day hearing with thirty-two witnesses and forty-eight exhibits. Some of these issues were those that Timberlake was concerned about in a list of potential grounds for postconviction relief. Timberlake even participated in some of the questioning by, for example, writing questions for his counsel to ask witness McElroy. Although medical opinion was divided on this point, two doctors also testified that Timberlake could assist in his own defense. In sum, although Timberlake was difficult and had outbursts, he was also able to understand the nature of the proceedings and assist his counsel and the court when need be. Given the evidence from the doctors that Timberlake satisfied the trial competency standard, the almost one thousand pages of the evidence on Timberlake's present medical state, the postconviction court's own observations and discussions, and the deference we give to a trier of fact's determination of competency, we cannot say that the facts point unswervingly toward a result opposite the one reached by the postconviction court. See Matheney v. State, 688 N.E.2d 883, 893 (Ind.1997).