Question

Case # 1

Ford v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 399 (1986)

In 1974, Alvin Bernard Ford was convicted of murder, and sentenced to death. While on death row in a Florida prison, Ford’s mental status declined, as he began exhibiting symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia. Among other wild delusions, Ford declared himself to be Pope John Paul III, and personally appointed nine new justices to the state’s Supreme Court. A panel of psychiatrists examined Ford, and determined that, although he suffered from a host of mental disorders, he was capable of understanding the effect the death penalty would have on him. The governor then signed Ford’s death warrant in 1984.

Ford sued the Florida Department of Corrections. Eventually the case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it was ruled that Florida’s procedures for determining whether individuals are incompetent were lacking. Further, the Court ruled that executing the mentally insane was cruel and inhumane, and that such a decision could not be left solely to the administrative branch of government, but must involve a proper judicial hearing.

As a result of Ford v. Wainwright, a new process was instituted and a court-appointed psychologist finds a defendant or inmate to be mentally incompetent and unable to completely understand the legal proceeding. The court can order the individual be treated, even while held in a secure facility, until he is able to understand his execution.

1. Competency to Stand Trial
2. M’naghten Rule
3. HIPAA
4. Involuntary Commitment
5. Privilege communication
6. Tarasoff Rule

Answer 1

Competency to stand trail.

This case is a competency to stand trail.

In this case the murderer ford is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and he is showing decline in mental health.So according to law a person who is not able to understand the proceding which is going aganist him and cannot defend themselves cannot be convicted of crime as court needs competency.

So the case is competency to stand trail.