Court Opinion

ID: 9684028
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 13:45:10.524636+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:52.460738
License: Public Domain

Darrell Hickman, Justice, dissenting. I dissent because the judgment is being reversed for a reason not raised on appeal. There was no objection preserved in the record regarding the trial court’s failure to rule on Gruzen’s competency to stand trial. There is no argument at all on appeal that the court erred in not deciding that issue itself. Not even in capital cases do we search for errors not preserved at the trial level. While the evidence was strong that Gruzen was in no condition to stand trial, there was substantial evidence to the contrary. If the court had ruled him competent to stand trial, which in effect is what was done, I would not reverse that decision. In summary, this case is reversed for no reason alleged below or argued on appeal.