Reid v. State
Annotate this CaseDefendant was convicted in three separate trials of three sets of execution-style murders, of seven persons total. Defendant faced seven death sentences. Defendant elected not to seek a new trial in any of these cases. Subsequently, Defendant's sister filed a "next friend" petition in each of the murder cases, requesting the courts to declare Defendant incompetent, thereby enabling her to pursue post-conviction relief on Defendant's behalf. Each court denied the petitions, and the court of criminal appeals affirmed. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) the trial courts employed the correct legal standard for determining whether Defendant possessed the mental capacity to rationally forego seeking post-conviction relief; (2) Defendant's sister failed to prove that Defendant lacked the capacity to make rational decisions regarding the pursuit of post-conviction relief; and (3) in all future cases, Tennessee's court should employ the mental competency standard of Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 28, 11(B) to address the issue of a prisoner's competency to pursue post-conviction relief.
Court Description: Authoring Judge: Justice William C. Koch, Jr.
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