Medina v. California

In Medina v. California, the U.S. Supreme Court established by a 7-2 vote limits on the due process rights of criminal defendants who assert an insanity defense. Justice Kennedy wrote for the Court:

“  |  it is enough that the State affords the criminal defendant on whose behalf a plea of incompetence is asserted a reasonable opportunity to demonstrate that he is not competent to stand trial.  |  ”

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Medina v. California, 505 U.S. 437, 451 (1992).

Justice Blackmun, joined by Justice Stevens, dissented as follows:

“  |  One psychiatrist testified [the defendant] was incompetent. Another psychiatrist and a psychologist testified he was not. Several other experts testified but did not express an opinion on competence. Instructed to presume that petitioner Medina was competent, the jury returned a finding of competence. For all we know, the jury was entirely undecided. I do not believe a Constitution that forbids the trial and conviction of an incompetent person tolerates the trial and conviction of a person about whom the evidence of competency is so equivocal and unclear. I dissent.  |  ”

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Id. at 456 (Blackmun, J., dissenting).