Court Opinion

ID: 9495808
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 16:10:47.876734+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:57:12.540871
License: Public Domain

MURPHY, Circuit Judge,
dissenting, in which McMILLIAN, Circuit Judge, joins.
This case presents important and difficult issues, and I write separately because I conclude that the record before us does not lend itself to proper resolution of them. Singleton was examined at Springfield in the summer of 2000, and the district court used this evaluation in making its findings about his mental condition and the status of his treatment. The dissent asserts that Singleton continues to be psychotic, and I find the record unclear in this respect.
Each of the opinions by my esteemed colleagues reflects impliedly, if not explicitly, the underlying problem we face by proceeding to rule on the critical issues based on the current record. Judge Woll-man points out that the “posture of this case has changed during the course of this appeal”, ante at 1022, but concludes that the merits should be reached since “the *1038combination of a Harper order and a scheduled date of execution will likely occur in the future.” Id. Because of the uncertainties related to Singleton’s mental condition and the fact that medication could again be administered to him involuntarily, Judge Heaney concludes in dissent that a permanent stay of execution is appropriate. Finally, Judge Loken, writing separately, shows the difficulty in raising a Ford claim if a petitioner’s condition has changed after his initial § 2244 petition, and he proposes possible solutions the Supreme Court might adopt.
The court has proceeded to rule on the merits by concluding that the petition is neither “second nor successive” and by finding that an exception to the mootness doctrine applies, but the posture of the case is such that the decision must be based on an assessment of what is likely to occur in the future. For that reason, I respectfully dissent. I find myself unable to join in the judgment foreseen by the majority, particularly in light of the fact that the Supreme Court has granted cer-tiorari in United States v. Sell. Similarly, I cannot join in the dissent’s permanent stay when it is possible that Singleton will regain mental health. Since I believe the issues are too important to permit a decision on the merits on the basis of this record, I would dismiss the petition as moot or premature.