Opinion ID: 1309837
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Preliminary Hearing and Arraignment

Text: On October 20, 1980, a preliminary hearing was held at which defendant exhibited abnormal and bizarre behavior. [4] The magistrate initially continued the matter and appointed two psychiatrists to examine defendant pursuant to section 1368, but later vacated the appointments and proceeded to a preliminary hearing that same day. During the hearing, defendant continued to make bizarre comments and was shackled with leg and waist chains throughout the proceeding. After defendant was held to answer, he was admitted to the psychiatric unit of the Los Angeles County jail and treated with antipsychotic medication. At defendant's arraignment on November 3, 1980, he again made inappropriate and bizarre responses. Following the prosecutor's reading of charges and in response to the court's request for waiver of further reading of the information and a statement of constitutional rights, defendant stated: I don't waive. I say I plead guilty to five counts. Defense counsel then indicated: As to the plea, there's to be a reference to the defendant under 1368 for an examination. The prosecutor responded that the motion was well taken. The court then declared a doubt as to defendant's present mental competency based on his conduct and demeanor in the courtroom. [5] Defense counsel responded affirmatively to the court's inquiry whether, in counsel's opinion, defendant was incapacitated or mentally incompetent pursuant to section 1368 such that he was either unable to understand the nature of the proceedings or to assist in the conduct of his defense in a rational manner. The court initially appointed two psychiatrists, Drs. Saul Faerstein and Walter Hofman, to examine defendant at the county jail and to report their findings in writing to the court. The matter was then continued to December 3, 1980, for a hearing on the question of the defendant's present mental competency. Evidently, the hearing was never held. [6]