Jackson v. Indiana
United States Supreme Court
406 U.S. 715 (1972)
Jackson (defendant), a deaf mute with the mental capacity of a preschooler, was charged with two petty robberies. After a competency hearing, doctors concluded he could not understand the proceedings or assist his defense and would likely never gain the communication skills to become competent. The trial court committed him indefinitely until he was found sane. Jackson argued this amounted to a life sentence without a conviction, violating due process and equal protection, since Indiana's ordinary civil-commitment statutes for the feeble-minded or mentally ill offered easier paths to release.
Whether a criminal defendant found incompetent to stand trial may be committed to an institution for longer than reasonably necessary to determine whether he is likely to become competent in the foreseeable future.