Jackson v. Indiana

406 U.S. 715 (1972)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

Jackson (D) was a mentally defective, deaf-mute with a mental level of a preschool child. D cannot read, write, or otherwise communicate except through sign language. D was charged with the separate robberies of two different women; one for a purse and four dollars and the other for five dollars. D's competency to stand trial was put at issue, and two psychiatrists were appointed to examine D. The court determined that D was incompetent to stand trial. D was ordered committed to the Indiana Department of Health until such time that D was determined to be sane. The evidence presented at the hearing also indicated that D would never be able to have sufficient intelligence to develop necessary skills such as communication. D's counsel filed a motion for a new trial contending there was no evidence that D was insane and no evidence that D would ever attain a status which the court might regard as competent to stand trial. D argued that such a commitment was effectively a life sentence.