No. 25-111

Timothy Carver v. United States

Lower Court: Sixth Circuit
Docketed: 2025-07-30
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: criminal-procedure due-process expert-testimony insanity-defense mental-defect neurodegenerative-disease
Latest Conference: 2025-09-29
Question Presented (from Petition)

1. Whether the appellate court erred in affirming the district court's rejection of Mr. Carver's insanity defense, where expert medical testimony established that Mr. Carver suffered from a progressive, degenerative brain disease which rendered him incapable of understanding the wrongfulness of his actions at the time of the offense, as required by 18 U.S.C. § 17?

2. Whether due process permits a jury to reject an affirmative insanity defense supported by clear and convincing medical evidence, when the government provides no contrary expert testimony and relies solely on the graphic and inflammatory nature of the Defendant's conduct and lay testimony?

3. Whether this Court should reexamine the standards set forth in the Insanity Defense Reform Act of 1984 in light of modern advancements in psychiatric science, the increased prevalence of severe mental illness, and concern that the statute, as applied, permits juries to reject clear and convincing, unrebutted expert testimony in favor of emotional or prejudicial responses to the defendant's conduct?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether due process permits a jury to reject an affirmative insanity defense supported by clear and convincing medical evidence when the government provides no contrary expert testimony

Docket Entries

2025-10-06
Petition DENIED.
2025-08-06
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2025.
2025-08-04
Waiver of United States of right to respond submitted.
2025-08-04
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2025-07-24
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due August 29, 2025)
2025-05-15
Application (24A1097) granted by Justice Kavanaugh extending the time to file until July 26, 2025.
2025-05-13
Application (24A1097) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from May 27, 2025 to July 26, 2025, submitted to Justice Kavanaugh.

Attorneys

Timothy Carver
Michael Curtis CollinsCollins Shipley, PLLC, Petitioner
United States
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent