Rodgers v. State


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Docket Number: 2007-CA-00348-COA
Linked Case(s): 2007-CA-00348-COA ; 2007-CT-00348-SCT

Court of Appeals: Opinion Link
Opinion Date: 04-22-2008
Opinion Author: MYERS, P.J.
Holding: Affirmed

Additional Case Information: Topic: Post-conviction relief - Competency to stand trial
Judge(s) Concurring: KING, C.J., LEE, P.J., IRVING, CHANDLER, GRIFFIS, BARNES, ISHEE, ROBERTS AND CARLTON, JJ.
Procedural History: Dismissal; PCR
Nature of the Case: CIVIL - POST-CONVICTION RELIEF

Trial Court: Date of Trial Judgment: 01-30-2007
Appealed from: LEE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT
Judge: Thomas J. Gardner
Disposition: MOTION FOR POST-CONVICTION RELIEF DISMISSED
Case Number: CV-04-071(G)L

  Party Name: Attorney Name:   Brief(s) Available:
Appellant: JAMES RODGERS A/K/A JAMES WALTER RODGERS




JOHN LEROY LONG



 
  • Appellant #1 Brief
  • Appellant #1 Reply Brief

  • Appellee: STATE OF MISSISSIPPI OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL BY: DEIRDRE MCCRORY  

    Synopsis provided by:

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    Topic: Post-conviction relief - Competency to stand trial

    Summary of the Facts: James Rodgers was convicted of murder of and was sentenced to life. He filed a motion for post-conviction relief which was denied. He appeals.

    Summary of Opinion Analysis: Rodgers argues that the court erred in holding that he was competent to stand trial. Rodgers also argues that the court erred in failing to determine whether a meaningful retrospective competency hearing was possible after the passage of time and without additional medical information. When competency of a defendant is raised as an issue, a trial court must conduct a hearing to determine whether there is a probability that the defendant is incapable of making a rational defense. If the trial court determines that there is not sufficient proof to show a probability that defendant is incapable of conducting a rational defense, the case may then proceed to trial on the merits. At the initial trial, Rodgers did request a psychiatric evaluation, which was granted by the circuit court. However, the psychiatric evaluation was never completed due to Rodgers’s and his trial counsel’s decision to waive that issue at trial. Neither Rodgers’s trial counsel nor the circuit court judge found a reason or concern to question this decision to proceed without examination. The Mississippi Supreme Court granted Rodgers’s request to conduct an evidentiary hearing for the limited matter of determining whether he was competent to stand trial. Testimony revealed that neither Rodgers’s trial counsel, nor the judge, found any reasonable probability that Rodgers was not competent to stand trial. The record shows that the circuit court’s ruling was not manifestly against the overwhelming weight of the evidence.


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