Court Opinion

ID: 9444410
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 21:00:00.528637+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:29:51.586426
License: Public Domain

PRETTYMAN, Circuit Judge
(dissenting in part).
I think we ought to send this case back for a determination of the competency of the accused to stand trial, as provided by Section 4244. That is what we did in Gunther v. United States,1 and, although there is some factual difference between the two cases, we did there hold that it is possible and proper to determine now whether an accused was competent to stand trial at the time he was tried. I think the same rule ought to apply in the present case. After all, the retrial of a criminal case long after a first trial involves many complications as to witnesses, lawyers, etc. It ought to be ordered only when there was an error in the trial itself. The only question upon the present appeal is whether Wear was competent to stand trial. If he was, the verdict of guilty was proper. And upon a proper psychiatric examination it may develop that he was competent. It seems to me ill-advised to order a new trial when proper steps, which under Gunther can now be taken to ascertain whether he was competent at the time of the trial, may prove that he was competent and that the trial was without error. If he was at the time of the trial competent, the trial should stand. If he was not then competent he should have a psychiatric examination to determine his present capacity, and if he is now competent he should have a new trial.

. 1954, 94 U.S.App.D.C.-, 215 F.2d 493.