Opinion ID: 1885630
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: the defendant's genuine psychogenic amnesia rendered him incompetent to stand trial.

Text: In connection with the argument made under this heading, Parson's counsel recites a long history of his sexual deviate behavior and his mental instability. However, no plea of insanity was offered as a defense. The point actually comes down to the question of Parson's competency to stand trial in view of his amnesia, which the psychiatrists and psychologists who examined him apparently agree is genuine and not feigned. The period of amnesia asserted by Parson extends to several hours before the commission of the crime, and to a point several hours after his arrest and examination by the police. With the exception of this period, Parson's memory is clear. He, however, claims to have no memory whatsoever of the actual events immediately preceding, during and immediately following the commission of the crime. The trial judge held a hearing and after considering the testimony of the psychiatrists and psychologists, ruled that Parson was competent to stand trial under the tests laid down in the reported decisions. In Reagon v. State, 251 N.E.2d 829 (Ind. 1969), a divided court pointed out that the question raised by the existence of amnesia as to the actual events of the crime is not that of a defense to the criminal charge, but is merely something to be considered in determining whether or not the defendant is competent to be tried for the offense charged. The test is whether or not he has the capacity to comprehend his position, to understand the nature of the proceedings against him, to conduct his defense in a rational manner, and to cooperate with his counsel in making any available defense to the charge. In Wilson v. United States, 129 U.S. App.D.C. 107, 391 F.2d 460 (1968), it was held that a criminal defendant is entitled to a fair trial and that to have a fair trial he must be competent to stand trial. The test of competency was stated to be whether or not the defendant has sufficient present ability to consult with his lawyer rationally and whether he has a rational as well as factual understanding of the proceedings against him. The Wilson case sets forth six guidelines to be utilized in determining competency when amnesia concerning the circumstances of the crime is the fact. These guidelines are as follows: 1) The extent to which the amnesia affects his ability to consult with his lawyer; 2) The extent to which the amnesia affects the defendant's ability to testify in his own behalf; 3) The extent to which the evidence in the suit could be extrinsically reconstructed in view of the defendant's amnesia including evidence relating to the crime itself, as well as any reasonably possible alibi; 4) The extent to which the government assisted the defendant and his counsel in that reconstruction; 5) The strength of the prosecution's case; that is, whether it is such as to negate all reasonable hypothesis of innocence. In this connection, if there is any substantial possibility shown by the evidence that the accused could, but for his amnesia, establish an alibi or other defense, then it should be presumed that he would have been able to do so; and 6) Any other facts and circumstances which would indicate whether or not the defendant had a fair trial. We think it is clear from the record before us that Parson was able to consult with and assist his lawyer subject to the limitation imposed by his claimed amnesia. Furthermore, the prosecution's case against Parson consisted almost entirely of circumstantial evidence which left no reasonable hypothesis but guilt when considered in its entirety. Moreover, Parson, by the circumstantial evidence, was so tightly tied to the actual commission of the crime that any prospect of the defense of alibi is nonexistent. Under the guidelines laid down in the Wilson case, which we think fairly reflects the general law on the subject, it is clear that despite his claimed amnesia with respect to the actual commission of the crime, itself, Parson was competent to stand trial. The trial judge, therefore, committed no error in so holding. Finally, in this connection, Parson argues that his amnesia destroyed his ability to present circumstances to the jury which might have resulted in a recommendation of mercy pursuant to 11 Del.C. § 3901. The argument is that any attempt to show Parson's past history, his sexual deviation and his mental instability would have created in the minds of the jury a strong inference of guilt and that, therefore, there should have been a separate and subsequent finding on the question of punishment following a verdict of guilty. It is argued that in an attempt to preserve Parson's life through a jury's recommendation of mercy, evidence was presented by his counsel concerning his mental impairment. It is said that this essential evidence at the same time unavoidably poisoned the jury's objectivity since, from it, flowed a strong inference of guilt. Furthermore, the decision not to present evidence concerning Parson's past sexual activity was made because necessarily such evidence lent itself to a conclusion that his life would have followed an inevitable course to a sex crime, even though the precise crime being tried had not been committed. All of this may be true, but it is also true in any or most criminal prosecutions. Mitigating evidence offered in behalf of the defendant oftentimes may have the opposite effect upon the jury than that for which it is intended. This may be an unfortunate situation, but it is nevertheless one of the facts attendant upon a criminal prosecution. Therefore, it is not error to refuse to depart from law of long standing in this State that the question of guilt and of mercy are to be tried together before the same jury.