Opinion ID: 1768435
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Whether counsel failed to investigate mental illness.

Text: ¶ 42. Robert N. Brooks, one of the defense attorneys for Goodin at his trial, stated the following in his affidavit: I knew something was wrong with Mr. Gooden, besides the retardation, but I really couldn't put my finger on why he was so odd. I never knew Mr. Gooden was a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic or that he was receiving Social Security Disability for his condition. He mentioned it for the first time in passing on the stand at trial, at which point it was too late to follow up with investigation. I have never seen the Laird Hospital or Weems Records concerning Mr. Gooden's schizophrenia. I have never seen the Social Security Records concerning Mr. Gooden's schizophrenia. Had I known Mr. Gooden was certifiably schizophrenic, I would have put doctors on the stand from Laird, Weems, etc. to assist in his mitigation. I definitely would have put Dr. Whelan on the stand had I seen his 1998 report before trial. I would have given any reports concerning prior diagnoses of Mr. Gooden to Dr. O'Brien to consider in his evaluation had I known of any of these. Given the time and resources I had to prepare for this capital murder trial, there was simply no way I could have known to look for Mr. Gooden's records because the times I spoke with the client he was very crazy and not helpful in preparing his defense at all. I had to get his sister to talk to him on occasion for me in order to explain things to him. I begged Mr. Gooden not to take the stand, but he was completely irrational and would not listen to the advice of counsel in that regard. ¶ 43. This Court grants Goodin leave to proceed in the trial court on the issue of whether his attorney was ineffective for failure to investigate whether he was mentally ill. See Wiggins v. Smith, ___U.S___, 123 S.Ct. 2527, 156 L.Ed.2d 471 (2003).
¶ 44. Goodin argues that when counsel had Mr. Gooden examined for competency to stand trial, the evaluator failed to take into account Mr. Gooden's long-standing history of mental illness and dismissed his claims about hallucinations, finding him competent. It is unlikely that Mr. Gooden would even have been found competent to stand trial had counsel done their job. Goodin's argument here is similar to his argument under 6.B., but this argument also calls into question the nature of the process of determining a defendant's competency to stand trial and the defense counsel's role in that process. First, defense counsel did not have Goodin examined; the circuit court did. Defense counsel did not, as far as this Court can tell, select Dr. O'Brien. It is unknown whether defense counsel did have or could have had any input into Dr. O'Brien's decision on competency. It is also unknown whether Dr. O'Brien would have considered any findings by any other doctors in making his decision. He says now that he would have. If defense counsel had evidence contrary to Dr. O'Brien's conclusions, it would have been advisable to present those to the circuit court so they could have been considered. Defense counsel now states in an affidavit that he would have done this but did not have the time or resources. ¶ 45. What is known is that defense counsel did not object to Dr. O'Brien's conclusions as incorrect and did not object to the circuit court's finding of Goodin as competent. Any attempt to raise the circuit court's finding of competency as erroneous, as Goodin does, is procedurally barred at this point. Only because this issue is so closely related to the issue of Goodin's mental illness, this Court finds that Goodin be granted leave to proceed in the trial court on this particular issue.