Opinion ID: 1730820
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Whether Billiot presented sufficient evidence to shift the burden of proof should have shifted to the state?

Text: Here Billiot argues that the facts in the record so substantially weigh in favor of finding that he is insane and incompetent for purposes of carrying out his execution that the trial court committed error by not shifting the burden of proof to the state. One could clearly find from this record that Billiot is a schizophrenic and otherwise suffers from various forms of mental illness. However the record also clearly shows that all experts agreed that one could be schizophrenic and still competent to be executed. A determination of legal insanity for purposes of execution is not the same thing as finding that someone suffers from mental illness. Under the present state of law the trial judge had no authority to shift the burden of proof to the State of Mississippi.