United States Fourth Circuit

Where the record did not establish any reasonable cause to question a defendant-s competency at the time of his guilty plea hearing, and his motion for additional mental examinations prior to sentencing did not suggest any new evidence or mental condition that had not been addressed in one of three prior three examinations, the district court did not abuse its discretion in concluding that further mental examinations were unnecessary to resolve the defendant's competency to be sentenced.

Appellate Information

• Decided 01/24/2002
• Published 01/24/2002

Judges

• Before WILKINSON, Chief Judge, and WIDENER and WILLIAMS, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Paul K. Sun, Jr., Ellis & Winters, L.L.P., Cary, North Carolina, for Defendant-Appellant.  Anne Margaret Hayes, Assistant United States Attorney, Raleigh, North Carolina, for Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  Janice McKenzie Cole, United States Attorney, Raleigh, North Carolina, for Plaintiff-Appellee.