No. 20-5505

Keith O. Johnson v. Florida

Lower Court: Florida
Docketed: 2020-08-26
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: competency competency-hearing constitutional-rights criminal-procedure due-process fifth-amendment fourteenth-amendment fundamental-error mental-health
Latest Conference: 2020-10-30
Question Presented (from Petition)

CAN, a Defendant pursuant to Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure § 3.210
be proceeded against in a criminal proceeding where a question of Defendant 's
competency has been raised by Counsel and recognized by the Court, where the
Court ordered an expert to evaluate Defendant, yet no hearing for legally
establishing Defendant 's competency had been held by the Trial Court. Creating a
fundamental error in the proceedings resulting in a Manifest Injustice in violation of
the Due Process Clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment of the United States
Constitution and Article One, Section Nine of the Florida Constitution. Where a
Defendant has a procedural Due Process right to observance of procedures adequate
to protect his right not to be tried or convicted while incompetent.

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether a defendant can be proceeded against in a criminal proceeding where a question of the defendant's competency has been raised and recognized by the court, but no hearing has been held to legally establish the defendant's competency, resulting in a fundamental error and manifest injustice in violation of the due process clause

Docket Entries

2020-11-02
Petition DENIED. Justice Barrett took no part in the consideration or decision of this petition.
2020-10-08
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/30/2020.
2020-10-01
Waiver of right of respondent State of Florida to respond filed.
2020-02-13
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due September 25, 2020)

Attorneys

Keith Johnson
Keith O. Johnson — Petitioner
State of Florida
Trisha Meggs PateOffice of the Attorney General Criminal Appeals Division Tallahassee, Respondent