Opinion ID: 2078760
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Hadley's Competency

Text: Appellant claims that the trial court violated Ind. Code § 35-36-3-1 by failing to conduct a hearing after Hadley's counsel filed a motion to determine competency. At that time, the statute provided in relevant part: (a) If at any time before the final submission of any criminal case to the court or the jury trying the case, the court has reasonable grounds for believing that the defendant lacks the ability to understand the proceedings and assist in the preparation of his defense, the court shall immediately fix a time for a hearing to determine whether the defendant has that ability. The court shall appoint two (2) competent, disinterested psychiatrists, who shall examine the defendant and testify at the hearing as to whether he can understand the proceedings and assist in the preparation of his defense. (b) At the hearing, other evidence relevant to whether the defendant has the ability to understand the proceedings and assist in the preparation of his defense may be introduced. If the court finds that the defendant has the ability to understand the proceedings and assist in the preparation of his defense, the trial shall proceed. If the court finds that the defendant lacks this ability, it shall delay or continue the trial and order the defendant committed to the department of mental health, to be confined by the department in an appropriate psychiatric institution. A competency hearing is required under the statute when the trial court has reasonable grounds for believing the defendant may not be competent to stand trial. We review such determinations for abuse of discretion. Goodman v. State (1983), Ind., 453 N.E.2d 984. The presence of indicators sufficient to require the court to conduct a hearing under Ind. Code 35-36-3-1 must be determined upon the facts of each case. Id. In response to defense counsel's motion, the trial judge appointed two psychiatrists to examine Hadley. The trial judge received written opinions from the psychiatrists that Hadley was competent, but he did not conduct a competency hearing. After the psychiatrists' reports were received, Hadley did not complain in any way or attempt to schedule a hearing. Considering that both psychiatrists found Hadley competent, we are unable to see what prejudice resulted from the trial court's failure to conduct a competency hearing. Moreover, in Montague v. State (1977), 266 Ind. 51, 360 N.E.2d 181, we held that no competency hearing was required where two court-appointed psychiatrists examined the defendant and reported that he was competent to stand trial.