Opinion ID: 2355337
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Expert Funding

Text: Haight argues that he wanted funds during the post-conviction proceedings to hire a neuropsychologist to examine him for organic brain damage. Trial counsel had claimed that he did not know of the need for a neurological examination until after the trial had started. Before Haight made any request for funding based on his indigent status, the Commonwealth moved to prohibit any ex parte communications between the defense and the trial judge. The trial judge, relying on Sanborn , denied the request for an ex parte hearing for expert fundings, noting that there is no authority to support ex parte motions for hearings for expert fundings in an RCr 11.42 motion. Haight contends that he wanted to ask for funding for expert assistance in neuropsychology in order to prove ineffective assistance of counsel at trial. The trial judge correctly interpreted Sanborn in reaching his decision. This Court has already found that Haight had the full benefit of mental health evaluations and experts during his trial. Haight, supra. The expert offered by Haight said that there was a high degree of certainty that it's possible that Haight may suffer from brain damage which may be material in a defense based upon extreme emotional disturbance. This is mere speculation. A RCr 11.42 proceeding does not provide for a relitigation of the performance of trial counsel. It should be recalled that the report by the expert was not filed until after the circuit court denied the RCr 11.42 motion. We find that Haight has not demonstrated any prejudice in this regard. He was not denied fundamental due process under either the federal or state constitution.