Kennedy v. State
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After a jury trial, Petitioner was convicted of second degree murder, two counts of attempted second degree murder, and related weapons offenses. The court of special appeals affirmed. During the trial, defense counsel informed the trial court that he had trouble communicating with Petitioner, mentioned that there was “something wrong” with Petitioner, and requested that Petitioner be evaluated. The Court of Appeals granted certiorari to answer the question of whether defense counsel triggered the competency statute, requiring the trial court to order a competency evaluation and make a competency determination. The Court of Appeals affirmed, holding that defense counsel did not trigger the trial judge’s duty to make a competency determination under the circumstances.
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