Ake v. Oklahoma
United States Supreme Court
470 U.S. 68 (1985)
Relevant factsFree
Ake (defendant), charged with murder, was found incompetent, treated, and later found competent to stand trial; his attorney requested state funding for a psychiatric evaluation of his sanity at the time of the crime, which the trial court denied. Without expert testimony on his mental state, Ake was convicted and, at sentencing, could not rebut expert testimony about his future danger to society; he was sentenced to death.
IssueFree
Whether the Constitution requires the state to provide the services of a psychiatrist when a defendant's sanity is likely to be a significant issue in criminal proceedings.
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