Court Opinion

ID: 9791325
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 02:08:55.920821+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:35.513165
License: Public Domain

PARKS, Presiding Judge,
specially concurring:
I write separately to address appellant’s assertion that the trial court erred in refusing to either appoint an investigator to assist with his defense or grant him funds to be used for that purpose. It continues to be the opinion of this writer that the ruling in Ake v. Oklahoma, 470 U.S. 68, 105 S.Ct. 1087, 84 L.Ed.2d 53 (1985), “must necessarily be extended to include any expert which is ‘necessary for an adequate defense.’ ” See Ake v. State, 778 P.2d 460, 464 n. 1 (Okl.Cr.1989). Before a defendant is entitled to such assistance, however, he must first make the requisite showing of need. Id. In the present case, I agree with the majority that appellant has failed to show substantial prejudice from the lack of the requested investigator or funds. Accordingly, I concur that the trial court properly denied the same.