Heck Van Tran v. State of TN ( 1999 )

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF TENNESSEE
AT JACKSON FILED
November 23, 1999
F O R
PUBLICATION Cecil Crowson, Jr.
Appellate Court Clerk
HECK VAN TRAN, ) F i l e d :
November
23, 1999
)
Petitioner-Appellant, ) SHELBY CRIMINAL
) Trial Court No. P-14409
v. )
) Hon. William H. Williams,
STATE OF TENNESSEE, ) Judge
)
Respondent-Appellee. ) Supreme Court
) No. W1998-00175-SC-R11-PD
FOR APPELLANT: FOR APPELLEE:
Brock Mehler Paul G. Summers
Nashville, Tennessee Attorney General & Reporter
William D. Massey Michael E. Moore
Memphis, Tennessee Solicitor General
Kathy Morante
Deputy Attorney General
Jennifer L. Smith
Assistant Attorney General
Criminal Justice Division
Nashville, Tennessee
William L. Gibbons
District Attorney General
30th Judicial District
John Campbell
Assistant District Attorney
Memphis, Tennessee
Glenn R. Pruden
Assistant Attorney General
Nashville, Tennessee
OPINION
AFFIRMED AS MODIFIED. DROWOTA, J.
We granted the application for permission to appeal filed on behalf of
petitioner Heck Van Tran in order to clarify the procedure by which a prisoner who
has been sentenced to death may raise the issue of present mental competency to
be executed.1 The petitioner attempted to raise this issue in a petition for relief under
the Post-Conviction Procedure Act, Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 40-30-201 to -222 (1997).
Both the trial court and the Court of Criminal Appeals held that a proceeding for post-
conviction relief is not the appropriate avenue for litigating the issue of competency
to be executed. We agree with the lower courts that a petition for post-conviction
relief is not the appropriate mechanism for raising the issue. Indeed, we have
determined that there currently is no Tennessee statute that contains a procedure for
litigating the issue of present competency.
This determination, however, does not end the inquiry. The common law
recognized that a prisoner sentenced to death had a right to assert a claim of present
incompetency. Moreover, in Ford v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 399, 106 S. Ct. 2595, 91
L. Ed. 2d. 335 (1986), the United States Supreme Court held that the Eighth
Amendment to the United States Constitution precludes execution of a prisoner who
is incompetent. It is well-settled that this Court has inherent supervisory authority
over the judicial system of this State, particularly with respect to the modification of
common law doctrines and procedural rules. Accordingly, we exercise our inherent
supervisory authority and herein adopt and set forth the procedure that a prisoner
sentenced to death must follow in order to assert his or her common law and
constitutional rights to challenge competency to be executed. We further hold that
under this procedure the petitioner’s claim that he is incompetent to be executed is
not ripe for resolution. Accordingly, we affirm the decision of the lower courts on the
separate grounds stated herein.
1
In his supplemental brief and at oral argument, the petitioner also asserted that his sentence
should be vacated because it is disproportionate under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-206(c)(1)(D)
(199 7). C om para tive pr opo rtiona lity revie w is a c reatu re of statu te an d is no t con stitutio nally
required . State v. Bland, 958 S.W .2d 651, 6 63 (Te nn. 1997 ). It therefore affords no bas is for pos t-
conviction relief. In addition, this issue has been previously determined by this Court on direct
appea l. State v. Van Tran, 864 S.W .2d 465, 4 82 (Te nn. 1993 ).
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I.
BACKGROUND
In 1989 the petitioner, Heck Van Tran, was convicted of three counts of felony
murder and sentenced to death for his role in killing three people during a robbery at
a Memphis restaurant. On appeal this Court affirmed the three murder convictions
but set aside two of the death sentences and remanded those cases for re-
sentencing. 2 However, we affirmed the third sentence of death.3
In March 1995, the petitioner filed a petition for post-conviction relief alleging
in part that in light of his present mental incompetency it would be unconstitutional
to carry out the death sentence. The petition alleged that for the past four and one-
half years, Van Tran had been psychotic and treated with “antipsychotic,
antidepressant and antiparkinson [sic] medication.” The petition alleged that
numerous mental health professionals had diagnosed Van Tran as suffering from
chronic paranoid schizophrenia, a condition from which remission is rare and which
has a prognosis of unchanged or progressive deterioration. Without medication,
petitioner alleged, his condition significantly worsens. Attached to the post-conviction
petition was the affidavit of Dr. John Pruett, M.D., the attending physician at the
Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. In the affidavit Dr. Pruett opined that the
petitioner was not competent to be executed.
Finding no merit to any of the grounds for relief alleged in the petition, the trial
court denied the petition. Specifically addressing the allegation that petitioner was
not competent to be executed, the trial court held that the claim that the petitioner
suffers from a mental condition that would bar his being put to death is not cognizable
2
On remand the petitioner received two concurrent life sentences for his role in the
deaths of these two victims.
3
A detailed account of the circumstances of this crime as well as a discussion of the
issues raised on direct appeal can be found in this Court’s opinion in State v. Van Tran,
864 S.W.2d 465 (Tenn. 1993).
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in a post-conviction proceeding since, even were the allegation true, the verdict and
the judgment in petitioner’s case would not be void or voidable as a result of a
constitutional violation.
The Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the trial court and emphasized that
post-conviction relief is a statutory creation and that the post-conviction statute
makes no provision for addressing a claim of present incompetency to be executed.
The intermediate court noted that unlike most other states in which capital
punishment is imposed, Tennessee has no specific statutory procedure for
addressing this issue. While the intermediate court recognized that the petitioner was
unquestionably entitled to be heard in some forum on this issue and noted that, if no
state hearing was afforded him, the petitioner could seek relief in federal court under
Ford v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 399, 106 S. Ct. 2595, 91 L. Ed. 2d 335 (1986), the
Court of Criminal Appeals expressed its reluctance as an intermediate appellate court
to establish a procedure for determining competency. Instead, the Court of Criminal
Appeals left the decision on this matter to the determination of the General Assembly
or this Court. Thereafter, we granted review to answer the important question of the
procedural mechanism by which a prisoner sentenced to death in Tennessee should
raise and litigate a claim of present incompetency to be executed.
II.
COMPETENCY TO BE EXECUTED
From medieval times the common law has recognized that the insane or
mentally incompetent should not be executed. See Ford, 477 U.S. at 406-08, 106
S. Ct. at 2600-01; Nobles v. Georgia, 168 U.S. 398, 406, 18 S. Ct. 87, 90, 42 L. Ed.
515 (1897); Note, The Eighth Amendment and the Execution of the Presently
Incompetent, 32 Stan. L. Rev. 765, 778 (1980); Note, Insanity of the Condemned, 88
Yale L.J. 533, 535 (1979). The common law doctrine prohibiting the execution of the
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insane, a principle of American jurisprudence from the earliest times, see Ford, 477
U.S. at 408, 106 S. Ct. at 2601, was recognized in Jordan v. State, 124 Tenn. 81, 87,
135 S.W. 327, 328 (1911), in which this Court wrote, “By the common law, one who
was charged with crime cannot be required to plead to the indictment, put upon his
trial, sentenced or punished while insane.” (emphasis added). The Court in Jordan
cited to 4 William Blackstone, Commentaries *396:
Another cause of regular reprieve is, if the offender
becomes non compos between the judgment and the
award of execution; for regularly, as was formerly
observed, though a man be compos when he commits a
capital crime, yet if he becomes non compos after, he
shall not be indicted; if after indictment, he shall not be
convicted; if after conviction, he shall not receive
judgment; if after judgment, he shall not be ordered for
execution: for ‘furiosus solo furore punitur [a madman is
punished by his madness alone],’ and the law knows not
but he might have offered some reason, if in his senses,
to have stayed these respective proceedings. It is
therefore an invariable rule, when any time intervenes
between the attainder and the award of execution, to
demand of the prisoner what he hath to allege why
execution should not be awarded against him; and if he
appears to be insane, the judge in his discretion may and
ought to reprieve him.
A myriad of rationales was advanced to explain the common law rule such as
execution of the insane is inhumane, has no deterrent value, prevents religious
reckoning, denies the defendant the ability to assist in his own defense, and serves
no retributive purpose. Ford, 477 U.S. at 405-09, 106 S. Ct. at 2600-01; Ex parte
Jordan, 758 S.W.2d 250, 252 (Tex. Crim. App. 1988).
Regardless of its initial justifications, in Ford, 477 U.S. at 409-10, 106 S. Ct.
at 2602, a narrow majority of the United States Supreme Court held that the
execution of a prisoner who is insane is prohibited by the Eighth Amendment to the
United States Constitution made applicable to the States through the Fourteenth
Amendment. In so holding, the Ford majority relied upon the longstanding
recognition of the principle at common law and upon the fact that no State currently
permits the execution of the insane. See Ford, 477 U.S. at 408-09, 106 S. Ct. at
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2601.
The majority in Ford, however, only reached the issue of whether the common
law rule against executing the insane was of constitutional dimension because of the
need to determine whether the petitioner in that case was entitled to a de novo
hearing at his federal habeas corpus proceeding on the issue of competency.
Although a majority of the justices in Ford agreed that a de novo hearing was
required because the state fact-finding proceedings were inadequate and not entitled
to the presumption of correctness, not even a plural majority of justices could agree
on what procedures would have been adequate to foreclose de novo federal review.
Four justices4 appeared to require the full panoply of trial procedures and perhaps
even the heightened due process applicable in capital trials. Ford, 477 U.S. at 410-
18, 106 S. Ct. at 2602-06. Three justices5 opined that less formal proceedings
meeting the basic requirements of due process were sufficient. Ford, 477 U.S. at
425-31, 106 S. Ct. at 2609-12. Finally, two dissenting justices6 found the minimal
procedure followed in Ford constitutionally acceptable.7 Ford, 477 U.S. at 432-35,
106 S.Ct. at 1612-15. Furthermore, the Ford Court failed to articulate the legal
definition of insanity in the execution context although Justice Powell opined that for
purposes of the Eighth Amendment, the proper inquiry is whether the defendant is
able to comprehend the nature, pendency, and purpose of his execution. Ford, 477
U.S. at 423, 106 S. Ct. at 2608-09.
Although unable to reach a consensus, the Ford Court expressly charged the
individual states with the task of developing procedures to ensure that the insane will
4
Marshall, J., with whom Brennan, Blackmun and Stevens, JJ., joined.
5
Powell, J., concurring opinion, and O’Connor J., concurring and dissenting opinion with whom
White, J., joined.
6
Rehnquist, J., dissenting, with whom Burger, C.J., joined.
7
In Florida, the question of sanity was investigated by a panel of three experts appointed by the
governor, to whom they in turn reported their findings. The governor made the final decision on the
issue of com petenc y to be exe cuted. See Fla. Stat. Ann. § 922.01 (1985).
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not be executed. Ford, 477 U.S. at 416-17, 106 S. Ct. at 2605. Recognizing the
common law and constitutional prohibitions and the due process requirements of
Ford, many states have passed statutes providing procedures for determining a
prisoner’s competency to be executed.8 At the present time, Tennessee has no
statute expressly addressing the issue of a prisoner’s competency to be executed.
This lack of an explicit statute, an omission particularly inexplicable in the wake of
Ford, has resulted in this appeal in which the petitioner contends that the issue of
whether he is competent to be executed may be addressed in an action brought
under the Post-Conviction Procedure Act, Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 40-30-201 to -222
(1997). We disagree.
Post-conviction relief is granted when a prisoner’s conviction or sentence is
void or voidable because of the abridgement of any right guaranteed by the
Tennessee or United States Constitutions. See Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-203
(1997). As the trial court in this case recognized, the fact that a petitioner’s present
mental condition bars execution does not render the prisoner’s conviction or sentence
void or voidable. Instead it simply prevents the State from carrying out the sentence
until the prisoner’s competence is restored. A prisoner’s competency to be executed
is a question independent of the validity of trial and sentencing, and as such, not
within the contemplation of the Act. See Ford, 477 U.S. at 426, 106 S. Ct. at 2610
(Powell, J., concurring) (stating that a petitioner’s assertion of incompetency raises
the question of when, not whether, an execution may take place).
Furthermore, the one-year statute of limitations for actions under the Post-
Conviction Act, see Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-202(a) (1997), indicates that the
8
See, e.g., Ala. Code § 15-16-23 (1995); Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-4021 (West Supp. 1998); Fla.
Stat. Ann. § 922.07 (West Supp. 1999); Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.811-3.812 (Supp. 1999); Ga. Code Ann.
§ 17-10-60 (1997); Kan. Stat. Ann. § 22-4006 (1995); Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 431.213, 431.2135
(Michie S upp. 199 8); Md. A nn. Cod e, Corre ctional Se rvices § 3 -904(a) (1999); M iss. Cod e Ann. §
99-19-57 (1994); Mo. Rev. Stat. § 552.060 (Supp. 1999); N.Y. Correct. Law § 656 (McKinney Supp.
1999); Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 22, §§ 1005 to 1008 (West 1998); Tex. Crim. P.Code Ann. art. 46.04
(W est Sup p. 1999) ; W yo. Stat. §§ 7- 13-901 to -903 (M ichie 199 9).
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General Assembly did not contemplate that post-conviction relief would be available
in this circumstance. The issue of competency to be executed may arise long after
the one-year statute has expired and, in fact, is generally not considered ripe until
execution is imminent. Cf. Stewart v. Martinez-Villareal, 523 U.S. 637, 118 S. Ct.
1618, 140 L. Ed. 2d 849 (1998)(stating that claim of incompetency was premature
until warrant for execution was issued); Herrera v. Collins, 506 U.S. 390, 113 S. Ct.
853, 863, 122 L. Ed. 2d 203 (1993)(commenting that the issue of sanity is properly
considered in proximity to the execution); Hance v. Kemp, 373 S.E.2d 184, 192
(1988)(holding consideration of present sanity premature because execution was not
imminent); Colburn v. State, 966 S.W.2d 511, 513 (Tex. Crim. App. 1998)(en
banc)(holding that the proper time to argue competency is “when execution is
imminent”). In addition, an allegation of incompetency to be executed does not meet
any of the grounds allowing consideration of a petition filed after the statute has run,
see Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-202 (b) (1997), nor does it satisfy any of the criteria for
re-opening a petition for post-conviction relief under Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-217(a)
(1997). That the Post-Conviction Act is such an ineffective and incomplete means
to protect the insane from execution indicates that the General Assembly never
intended for the Act to serve this purpose. For these reasons, we affirm the holding
of the trial court and the Court of Criminal Appeals that a proceeding for post-
conviction relief is not the appropriate avenue for litigating the issue of competency
to be executed.
Moreover, exhaustive research has revealed no other existing statutory
procedure that could function as a procedural avenue for litigating a prisoner’s
challenge to his or her competency to be executed. The writ of error coram nobis
challenges the judgment itself and like post-conviction proceedings is subject to a
one-year statute of limitations. See State v. Mixon, 983 S.W.2d 661 (Tenn. 1999).
While there is no statute of limitations on a habeas corpus petition, habeas corpus
relief is granted in Tennessee only when it appears upon the face of the judgment or
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record of the proceedings upon which the judgment is rendered that the conviction
court lacked jurisdiction or authority to sentence the defendant or that the defendant’s
sentence of imprisonment or other restraint has expired. Archer v. State, 851 S.W.2d
157, 164 (Tenn. 1993). As previously stated, a prisoner’s allegation that present
mental incompetence bars execution does not render the conviction or sentence void
. Competency to be executed is a question independent of the validity of trial and
sentencing proceedings, and as such, not grounds for habeas corpus relief in
Tennessee.
The petitioner has suggested that the common law writ of certiorari might be
adopted to allow an inmate to request injunctive relief against the Warden of the
institution where he or she is incarcerated or the Commissioner of the Department
of Correction. However, as the petitioner admits, the writ of certiorari addresses itself
to past actions and not to prospective unlawful action and is a means of review, not
mandate. See Taylor v. Waddey, 206 Tenn. 497, 501, 334 S.W.2d 733, 735 (1960)
(comparing writ of mandamus and noting certiorari is designed to review and examine
the proceedings of lower tribunals, to ascertain their validity, and to correct errors of
law made by these bodies where there has been some judicial action).
Our conclusion that no existing statute provides a procedure for litigating the
issue of competency to be executed does not end the inquiry, however. It has long
been recognized and widely accepted that the Tennessee Supreme Court is the
repository of the inherent power of the judiciary in this State. Petition of Burson, 909
S.W.2d 768, 772 (Tenn. 1995) (citing cases). Indeed, Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 16-3-503
and -504 (1994) broadly confer upon this Court all discretionary and inherent powers
existing at common law at the time of the adoption of the state constitution. Id. We
have also recognized that this Court has not only the power, but the duty, to consider,
adapt, and modify common law rules. State v. Rogers, 992 S.W.2d 393, 400 (Tenn.
1999); Cary v. Cary, 937 S.W.2d 777, 781 (Tenn. 1996) (citing cases). Finally, we
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have recently held in the context of a capital case that Tennessee courts have
inherent power to adopt appropriate rules of criminal procedure when an issue arises
for which no procedure is otherwise specifically prescribed. State v. Reid, 981
S.W.2d 166, 170 (Tenn. 1998).9
Given the common law origin of the bar against executing a mentally
incompetent prisoner, which was specifically discussed in Jordan, 124 Tenn. at 87,
135 S.W. at 329, and even earlier in Bonds v. State, 8 Tenn. 154 (1827), this Court
is empowered to adopt a procedure to enable a prisoner to exercise this right.
Moreover, in the wake of Ford, this Court has an affirmative constitutional duty to
ensure that no incompetent prisoner is executed. Cf. Dungan v. Dungan, 579
S.W.2d 183, 185 (Tenn. 1979) (holding that United States Supreme Court decision
requiring state courts to be open to bona fide indigents seeking the judicial dissolution
of their marriages imposed an affirmative constitutional duty which triggered the
inherent and statutory supervisory powers of this Court). Accordingly, we exercise
our inherent supervisory authority and hereinafter adopt and set forth the procedure
that a prisoner sentenced to death must follow in order to assert his or her common
law and constitutional right to challenge competency to be executed.10 Cf. Singleton
v. State, 437 S.E.2d 53, 58 (S.C. 1993); State v. Harris, 789 P.2d 60, 65 (Wash.
1990) (recognizing existence of common law and constitutional bar against executing
the insane and in the absence of a statute, judicially adopting procedures to
determine competency).
III.
PROCEDURES
9
In Reid , we held that a capital defendant must file pretrial notice of intent to present expert
testimo ny regard ing me ntal cond ition as m itigation eviden ce at the s entenc ing phas e of trial.
10
At oral argument, the petitioner and the State agreed and conceded that this Court has the
inherent supervisory authority to adopt a procedure to govern claims of incompetency to be
executed.
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A. Standard for Competency
Essential to any competency proceeding is a definition of the legal test or
standard for competency. As previously discussed, the majority of the United States
Supreme Court in Ford left this question unanswered. Justice Powell, however,
opined that the Eighth Amendment forbids the execution only of those who are
unaware of the punishment they are about to suffer and the reason they are to suffer
it. 477 U.S. at 422, 106 S. Ct. at 2608. This test of competency has been described
as the “cognitive test,” see Singleton, 437 S.E.2d at 58. Several states have adopted
this test by statute or court rule. See, e.g., Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. §13-4021(B) (West
Supp. 1998); Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.811(b) (West Supp. 1999); Ga. Code Ann. §17-10-60
(1997); Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 431.213 (Michie Supp. 1998); N.Y. Correct. Law §
656(a) (McKinney Supp. 1999); Tex. Crim. P. Code Ann. art. 46.04(h) (West Supp.
1999); Wyo. Stat. § 7-13-901(a)(v) (Michie 1999).
At common law a more rigorous standard was applied. In addition to requiring
that the prisoner be aware of the penalty and its purpose, the prisoner must also have
been able to assist in his or her own defense. See 4 Blackstone, Commentaries *389
(“the law knows not but he might have offered some reason, if in his senses, to have
stayed these respective proceedings”); 1 M. Hale, The History of the Pleas of the
Crown 34-35 (1736) (“were he of sound memory he might allege somewhat in stay
of judgment of execution”). This additional test, the so-called “assistance prong,” has
been adopted in some states by judicial decision, see, e.g., Singleton, 437 S.E.2d at
58; Harris, 789 P.2d at 65, and in other states by statute, see, e.g., Miss. Code Ann.
§ 99-19-57(2)(b) (1994); Mo. Rev. Stat. § 552.060(1) (Supp. 1999).
The more stringent assistance test is used to determine competency to stand
trial or plead guilty in Tennessee. See, e.g., Jordan, 135 S.W. at 328-29 (person
competent to stand trial if capable of understanding the nature and object of the
proceedings against him and if he rightly comprehends his own condition in reference
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to such proceedings and can conduct his defense rationally); Berndt v. State, 733
S.W.2d 119, 123 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1987)(whether the accused has the capacity to
understand the nature of the proceedings, consult with counsel, and assist in his or
her defense); State v. Johnson, 673 S.W.2d 877, 880 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1984)(the
test is whether the accused has sufficient present ability to consult with his lawyer
with a reasonable degree of rational understanding and whether he has a rational as
well as factual understanding of the proceedings against him). However, once the
conviction is final, there is a lessened need for a defendant to assist in his or her
defense given the availability of both state and federal collateral review of trial errors,
and the expansion of the right to competent counsel at trial. Id. We agree with
Justice Powell that in a proceeding to determine competency to be executed, only
those who are unaware of the punishment they are about to suffer and the reason
they are to suffer it are entitled to a reprieve. 477 U.S. at 422, 106 S. Ct. at 2608.
Accordingly, we adopt the “cognitive test,” and hold that under Tennessee law a
prisoner is not competent to be executed if the prisoner lacks the mental capacity to
understand the fact of the impending execution and the reason for it. Cf. Fla. R.
Crim. P. 3.811(b) (West Supp. 1999); Ky. Rev. Ann. § 431.213 (Michie Supp. 1998).
B. Initiation of a Competency Proceeding
Having delineated the standard for determining competency to be executed,
we must next delineate the appropriate forum for asserting incompetency and the
time at which the issue is ripe for determination. Under the common law,
[a]n inquisition to determine the mental condition of a
person convicted of crime and under sentence of death,
who, it was alleged had become insane since the
rendition of judgment, was . . . under the control of the
trial court. 4 Blackstone’s Com. p. 395; Nobles v.
Georgia, 168 U.S. 398, 18 S. Ct. 87, 42 L. Ed. 515. The
prisoner’s guilt had been finally established prior to such
application, and the plea, based on his alleged insanity
subsequently contracted, was an appeal to the humanity
of the court to postpone his execution. Laros v.
Commonwealth, 84 Pa. 200. The trial court alone
decided when such an inquisition was warranted.
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People v. Preston, 177 N.E. 761, 763 (1931). See also Nobles, 168 U.S. at 407, 13
S. Ct. at 91; People v. Eldred, 86 P.2d 248, 250 (1938); Bingham v. State, 169 P.2d
311, 314 (Okla. Crim. App. 1946); 88 Yale L.J. at 535-537 (1979). The common law
rule giving the trial court sole authority to determine the issue of competency was
logical in view of the fact that “in cases tried at common law execution often followed
fairly quickly after trial, so that incompetence at the time of execution was linked as
a practical matter with incompetence at the trial itself.” Ford, 477 U.S. at 420-21, 106
S. Ct. at 2607 (Powell, J., concurring).
Execution does not currently follow quickly after trial. Modern practice
provides for more extensive review of convictions and sentences, including not only
direct appeal, but also both state and federal post-conviction proceedings. See id.
at 420, 106 S. Ct. at 2607. These proceedings often are not concluded until several
years after a prisoner was tried and sentenced to death. Until the very moment of
execution, the issue of a prisoner’s competency to be executed “can never be
conclusively and finally determined.” Ford, 477 U.S. at 429, 106 S.Ct. at 2612
(O’Connor, J., concurring in the result in part and dissenting in part) (emphasis in
original). Therefore, the issue of competency to be executed is generally not
considered ripe for determination until execution is imminent.11
In Tennessee, execution is imminent only when a prisoner sentenced to death
has unsuccessfully pursued all state and federal remedies for testing the validity and
correctness of the prisoner’s conviction and sentence and this Court has set an
execution date upon motion of the State Attorney General.12 Given existing practice,
11
Cf. Stewart, 523 U.S . at , 118 S. Ct. at 1621 (stating that claim of incompetency was
prem ature un til warrant for e xecution was issu ed); Herrera, 506 U.S. at 406, 113 S. Ct. at 863
(com men ting that the iss ue of sa nity is properly co nsidere d in proxim ity to the exec ution); Hance,
373 S.E.2d at 192 (holding consideration of present sanity premature because execution was not
imm inent); Colburn, 966 S.W.2d at 513 (holding that the proper time to argue competency is “when
execution is imm inent”).
12
Cf. Ga. Code Ann. § 17-10-67(1997) (application shall not be filed until completion of direct
appea l and orde r has be en signe d by a judg e setting a time pe riod for the execu tion); Ky. Rev . Stat.
Ann. § 431.213 (Michie Supp. 1998) (only a condemned person may file a petition and condemned
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we conclude that a prisoner should raise the issue of competency to be executed in
the first instance in this Court when filing a written response to the motion of the State
Attorney General to set an execution date. The prisoner will have ten days from the
filing of the motion of the State Attorney General to file a response and raise this
issue. See Tenn. R. App. P. 22(a). This Court will not make a determination of the
issue, and asserting the issue will not constitute grounds for denying the State
Attorney General’s motion. To the contrary, the issue will be ripe for determination
only when the motion is granted and an execution date is set. However, in the order
setting the execution date, this Court will remand the issue of competency to be
executed to the trial court where the prisoner was originally tried and sentenced for
a determination of the issue.13 See Harris, 789 P.2d at 70 (holding that proper venue
for determining competency to be executed is the trial court where prisoner was
convicted and sentenced).
C. Filing Requirements
Within three days of entry of the order of remand, the prisoner shall file a
petition in the trial court and shall serve a copy of the petition upon the local district
attorney general and the State Attorney General. The petition shall identify the
proceeding in which the prisoner was convicted and sentenced and shall clearly set
forth the facts alleged to support the claim that execution should be stayed due to
present mental incompetence. The petition shall have attached to it affidavits,
records, or other evidence supporting the factual allegations of mental incompetence.
The petition shall also identify any previous proceedings in which the prisoner has
person is defined as “a person for whom a specific day of execution is fixed by a mandate from the
Kentuc ky Supre me C ourt or a w arrant sig ned by the Gove rnor”); Singleton, 437 S.E.2d at 60
(exe cutio n is im min ent a nd pe tition m ay be f iled “u pon issua nce of an orde r for e xec ution by this
Court”).
13
If the original trial court is unable to hear this matter, the presiding judge of the judicial district
will assign the case. We also no te that the trial judge has wide discretion to utilize necessary
measures to ensure the security of the prisoner and attendees at the hearing. If the trial judge
determines that a hearing is warranted and security in the local venue is insufficient, the trial judge
may arrange with the Warden and the Department of Correction to hold the hearing at the
Riverbend Maximum Security Institution, or with the Presiding Judge of the Twentieth Judicial
Distr ict, to h old th e hea ring in a crim inal tria l cour troom in Da vidso n Co unty.
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challenged his or her mental competency in relation to the conviction and sentence
in question. Finally, the petition shall set forth the name, location, hourly rate, and
qualifications of any mental health professionals who would be available and willing
to evaluate the prisoner if the trial court determines an evaluation is required. Cf. Ga.
Code Ann. § 17-10-63(b) (1997); Tex. Crim. P. Code Ann. art. 46.04(c) (West Supp.
1999).
As soon as possible after the filing of the petition, but no later than three days,
the district attorney general shall file a response to the petition. The response shall
set forth the name, location, hourly rate, and qualifications of any mental health
professionals who would be available and willing to evaluate the prisoner if the trial
court determines an evaluation is required.
D. Required Threshold Showing
No later than four days after a response to the petition is filed, the trial court
shall decide if a hearing is warranted. This decision depends upon whether the
prisoner has made the required threshold showing that his or her competency to be
executed is genuinely in issue. See Ford, 477 U.S. at 417, 106 S. Ct. at 2605
(plurality opinion); 477 U.S. at 426, 106 S. Ct. at 2610 (Powell, J., concurring).
Although a majority of the United States Supreme Court agreed in Ford that a hearing
as to competency is required only when a prisoner makes a “high threshold showing”
that competency is genuinely in issue, neither the plurality opinion nor the concurring
opinion defines the precise nature of the “high threshold showing,” but instead left
that task to the states.
In defining the required showing, we begin with Ake v. Oklahoma, 470 U.S. 68,
82-83, 105 S. Ct. 1087, 1095-96, 84 L. Ed. 2d 53 (1985), a case cited by Justice
Powell in Ford as an example of an acceptable threshold. See Ford, 477 U.S. at
426, 106 S. Ct. at 2610. In Ake the United States Supreme Court set forth the due
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process standard to be applied by the states when a defendant requests appointment
of a state-funded psychiatric expert. The Court in Ake held that before due process
requires appointment of a defense psychiatrist at state expense, a defendant must
make a “substantial showing” that sanity is “seriously in question” and would be “a
significant factor at trial.” Ake, 470 U.S. at 82-83, 105 S. Ct. at 1095-96.
Applying Ake, this Court in State v. Barnett, 909 S.W.2d 423, 431 (Tenn.
1995), held that unsupported assertions that expert services are needed are
insufficient to entitle a defendant to a hearing and emphasized that a defendant must
demonstrate by reference to the facts and circumstances of his or her particular case
that appointment of a psychiatric expert is necessary to ensure a fair trial. A similar
standard is applied in Tennessee in cases where a defendant claims that he or she
is incompetent to stand trial. Before a mental evaluation is required, the evidence
must warrant a belief that the defendant is incompetent to stand trial. State v. West,
728 S.W.2d 32, 34 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1986); State v. Lane, 689 S.W.2d 202, 204
(Tenn. Crim. App. 1984).
The rationale underlying the threshold requirement is twofold. First, death
penalty litigation is replete with the potential for false claims and intentional delay.
See, e.g. Harris, 789 P.2d at 69; Woodard v. Hutchins, 464 U.S. 377, 380, 104 S. Ct.
752, 753, 78 L. Ed. 2d 541 (1984) (“A pattern seems to be developing in capital
cases of multiple review in which claims that could have been presented years ago
are brought forward – often in a piecemeal fashion – only after the execution date is
set or becomes imminent.”). Second, as previously discussed, the issue of
incompetency can be repeatedly litigated by the same prisoner because until the very
moment of execution the prisoner can claim that he or she has become incompetent
sometime after the previous determination to the contrary. Ford, 477 U.S. at 429,
106 S. Ct. at 2612 (O’Connor, J., concurring in the result in part, dissenting in part).
As the Washington Supreme Court recognized,
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[t]he death row inmate has an obvious incentive to make a last-minute
claim of insanity. Without a substantial threshold requirement, the
eleventh hour petitions asserting insanity would be encouraged
because the death row petitioner would know that the mere filing of a
conclusory petition would result in a stay of execution. Placing no initial
burden on the petitioner is an invitation to specious insanity claims.
Harris, 789 P.2d at 69.
Therefore, we adopt a rule that places the burden on the prisoner to make a
threshold showing that he or she is presently incompetent. This burden may be met
by the submission of affidavits, depositions, medical reports, or other credible
evidence sufficient to demonstrate that there exists a genuine question regarding
petitioner’s present competency. In most circumstances, the affidavits, depositions,
or medical reports attached to the prisoner’s petition should be from psychiatrists,
psychologists, or other mental health professionals. Id. If the trial court is satisfied
there exists a genuine disputed issue regarding the prisoner’s present competency,
then a hearing should be held. Harris, 789 P.2d at 69-70.
We emphasize that the proof required to meet the threshold showing must
relate to present incompetency. Therefore, by definition, at least some of the
evidence submitted must be the result of recent mental evaluations or observations
of the prisoner. The threshold can not be satisfied if the only evidence offered is
stale in the sense that it relates to the prisoner’s distant past competency or
incompetency. We also note that the unsupported conclusory assertions of a family
member of the prisoner or an attorney representing the prisoner will ordinarily be
insufficient to satisfy the required threshold showing.
E. Preliminary Order, Appointment of Expert, and Mental Evaluation
Again, we emphasize that the trial court shall file a preliminary order within four
days from the filing of the State’s response to the petition. If the trial court
determines that the prisoner has failed to meet the required threshold showing, the
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trial court shall enter an order denying the petition, which shall include written detailed
findings of fact and conclusions of law. The prisoner may appeal the trial court’s
denial of the petition pursuant to the procedure set out hereafter in Section G,
“Appellate Review.”
If, however, the trial court determines that the prisoner has satisfied the
required threshold showing, the trial court shall enter an order appointing at least one,
but no more than two, mental health professionals from each list submitted by the
respective parties. The order shall direct that the prisoner be evaluated by the
appointed mental health professionals to determine competency to be executed as
defined herein. The order shall also require the mental health professionals to file
written evaluations with the trial court within ten days of the appointment. Upon filing,
the trial court clerk shall forward a copy of the written evaluations to counsel for the
petitioner, the district attorney general, and the State Attorney General. 14 See Tenn.
R. Evid. 706 (stating that as to bench-tried issues, the court may on its own motion
or on motion of any party appoint expert witnesses agreed upon by the parties); cf.
Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-4022(c) (West Supp. 1998); Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.812(c)(2)
(West. Supp. 1999); Kan. Stat. Ann. § 22-4006(b) (1995); Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. §
431.2135 (2) (Michie Supp. 1998); Tex. Crim. P. Code Ann. art. 46.04 (f) (West Supp.
1999); Wyo. Stat. § 7-13-902(a)-(c) (Michie 1999) (stating that courts have the power
to appoint experts, order evaluations, and require that the evaluations be filed in a
short period of time when competency to be executed is raised as an issue).
Within ten days after the evaluations are filed, the trial court shall hold and
14
W e note that by filing a petition contesting competency, the prisoner is deem ed to have
consented to submit to a State examination for the purposes of assessing mental competency to be
executed. The constitutional concerns at issue in cases such as Reid , 981 S.W .2d at 172 ; State v.
Mar tin, 950 S.W.2d 20, 24 (Tenn. 1997), and State v. Huskey, 964 S.W.2d 892, 897 (Tenn. 1998)
are not present in a competency proceeding. As previously stated, a proceeding to determine
competency may be initiated only after all other available federal and state remedies have been
exh aus ted. T here fore , the p rison er an d the State shou ld free ly disclo se to each othe r all
information relating to the prisoner’s competency as this proceeding may be, in a very real sense,
the last avenue of reprieve available to an inmate sentenced to death.
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conclude a hearing to determine the issue of competency. No jury is involved and
the trial judge alone shall determine the issue of competency. We disagree with the
dissent’s assertion that a prisoner is entitled to have a jury determine the issue of
competency to be executed. Even at common law, a prisoner had no absolute right
to a jury trial on this issue, although the trial court at common law had the discretion
to impanel a jury. See Nobles, 168 U.S. at 407, 18 S. Ct. at 91; Jordan, 124 Tenn.
at 90-91, 135 S.W. at 330. Under existing Tennessee law, a judge rather than a jury
determines the closely analogous question of competency to stand trial. State v.
Johnson, 673 S.W.2d 877, 880 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1984) (stating that trial judge alone
decides competence to stand trial). Accordingly, in light of the vast changes that
have occurred in the legal landscape since the adoption of the common law rule and
in light of analogous, existing Tennessee law regarding competency to stand trial, we
have no hesitation in holding that a prisoner is not entitled to have a jury determine
the issue of competency to be executed. Exhaustive research reveals that the vast
majority of jurisdictions apply a similar rule either by statute or case law. See, e.g.,
Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-4022(F) (West Supp. 1998); Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.811(d)(1)
(West Supp. 1999); Ga. Code Ann. § 17-10-68(d) (1997); Kan. Stat. Ann. § 22-
4006(b) (1995); Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 431.2135(2) (Michie Supp. 1998); Md. Ann.
Code, Correctional Services § 3-904(e)(1) (1999); Mo. Rev. Stat. § 552.06(4) (Supp.
1999); Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2949.28(B)(1)(b)(2) (Anderson Supp. 1998); Tex.
Crim. Proc. Code Ann. art. 46.04(k) (West 1999); Wyo. Stat. § 7-13-902(f) (Michie
1999); Singleton, 437 S.E.2d at 59; Harris, 789 P.2d at 72 (requiring that the court
hold a hearing and determine the issue without a jury). Indeed, only three
jurisdictions appear to adopt the position advocated by the dissent and require or
allow a jury to determine the issue of competency to be executed. See Ala. Code §
15-16-23 (1995); Cal. Penal Code § 3701 (West 1982); Okla Stat. Ann. tit. 22, § 1005
(West 1999). We also note that none of the various opinions in Ford held that a jury
determination of the issue of competency to be executed is constitutionally required.
See Ford, 477 U.S. at 418, 106 S. Ct. at 2606 (plurality opinion) (“petitioner is entitled
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to an evidentiary hearing in the District Court, de novo, on the question of his
competence to be executed.”); Ford, 477 U.S. at 427, 106 S. Ct. at 2610 (Powell, J.,
concurring) (“[A] constitutionally acceptable procedure may be far less formal than
a trial. The State should provide an impartial officer or board that can receive
evidence and argument from the prisoner’s counsel . . . .”); Ford, 477 U.S. at 429,
106 S. Ct. at 2611-12 (O’Connor, J., concurring in the result in part and dissenting in
part) (“I consider it self-evident that once society has validly convicted an individual
of a crime and therefore established its right to punish, the demands of due process
are reduced accordingly.”).
At the outset we note that at the hearing the prisoner is presumed to be
competent to be executed. Ford, 477 U.S. at 426, 106 S. Ct. at 2610 (Powell, J.,
concurring); Harris, 789 P.2d at 67; see also Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-4022(E) (West
Supp. 1998); Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2949.29(c) (Anderson Supp.1998) (stating that
a prisoner is presumed to be competent). To prevail, the prisoner must overcome the
presumption of competency by a preponderance of the evidence. Cf. Colo. Rev.
Stat. § 16-8-111(2) (1999); Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 431.2135 (3) (Michie Supp. 1998);
Md. Code Ann. Correctional Services § 3-904 (e)(2)(iii) (1999); Billiot v. State, 655
So. 2d 1, 12 (Miss. 1995); Singleton, 437 S.E.2d at 60; Tex. Crim. P. Code Ann. art.
46.04(k) (West Supp. 1999).15
We emphasize that the strictures of due process must be observed at the
hearing. Ford, 477 U.S. at 414, 106 S. Ct. at 2604 (plurality opinion). As an initial
matter, the prisoner must be given notice that an evidentiary hearing will be held.
Harris, 789 P.2d at 71. Next, the prisoner must be afforded an opportunity to be
heard and to present evidence relevant to the issue of competency at an adversarial
15
The dissent would place the burden on the State to prove the prisoner’s competency beyond a
reasonable doubt. Such a rule finds no support in any other state statute or judicial decision
relatin g to th is iss ue. M oreo ver, s uch a rule is con trary to prac tice g iven th at the priso ner is
asserting incompetency “following a trial and sentencing hearing at which his sanity was either
conceded or determ ined by the court.” Ford, 477 U.S . at 426 n.6 , 106 S.C t. at 2610 n .6 (Powe ll, J.,
concurring).
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proceeding at which the prisoner is entitled to cross-examine the State’s witnesses.
See Ford, 477 U.S. at 413-16, 106 S. Ct. at 2603-05 (plurality opinion); Harris, 789
P.2d at 71. Any procedure that unreasonably precludes the prisoner from attending
and “presenting material relevant to [the question of] his sanity or bars consideration
of that material by the factfinder is necessarily inadequate.” Ford, 477 U.S. at 414,
106 S. Ct. at 2604 (plurality opinion). Therefore, the rules of evidence should not be
applied to limit the admissibility of reliable evidence that is relevant to the issue of the
prisoner’s competency. Cf. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-204(c) (Supp. 1999) (directing
that the rules of evidence do not limit the admissibility of evidence at capital
sentencing hearings); see also Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.812(d) (West Supp. 1999) (stating
that the court shall not be strictly bound by the rules of evidence at a competency
hearing).
In sum, we hold that the prisoner shall be given reasonable notice if an
evidentiary hearing is to be held and that the prisoner shall be present at the hearing.
The prisoner is presumed competent and, to prevail, must overcome the presumption
by a preponderance of the evidence. The hearing shall be adversarial in nature, and
the prisoner shall be allowed to present all evidence material and relevant to the
issue of competency. See Harris, 789 P.2d at 72.
F. Trial Court Decision: Form and Content
Within five days of the conclusion of the hearing, the trial judge shall file an
order which shall contain detailed findings of fact and conclusions of law granting or
denying the prisoner’s petition. Although likely based upon expert medical and
mental health testimony, the ultimate question as to whether the prisoner is
competent is a question of fact. See Ford, 477 U.S. at 412, 106 S. Ct. at 2603
(plurality opinion) (“the ultimate decision will turn on the finding of a single fact . . .”);
cf. Maggio v. Fulford, 462 U.S. 111, 103 S. Ct. 2261, 76 L. Ed. 2d 794 (1983)
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(holding that competency to stand trial is a question of fact). Therefore, in the written
findings of fact, the trial court shall set out any undisputed facts, explain its
assessment of the credibility of the various expert witnesses and their conflicting
opinions, and include findings as to the prisoner’s behavior during the hearing.
Harris, 789 P.2d at 72.
G. Appellate Review
Both the prisoner and the State have an interest in preventing erroneous
determinations of the issue of a prisoner’s competency to be executed. As the
Washington Supreme Court recognized, the State has the additional interest of
ensuring that lawful decisions of capital sentencing juries are carried out. Therefore,
this Court will automatically review decisions of the trial court in competency
proceedings arising out of this Court’s order setting an execution date. Harris, 789
P.2d at 72.
The appeal in this Court shall be filed with the Office of the Appellate Court
Clerk in Nashville under the same cause number that was assigned to the motion of
the State Attorney General to set an execution date. The record of the competency
proceedings in the trial court shall be filed within ten days from the date on which an
order is filed in the trial court either (1) denying a hearing on the ground that the
prisoner has failed to make the required threshold showing or (2) ruling upon a
petition after a hearing has been conducted. The unsuccessful party in the trial court
shall file an initial brief in this Court no later than five days from the day on which the
record is filed. A response brief shall be filed by the party prevailing in the trial court
no later than five days from the day on which the initial brief is filed. The State
Attorney General shall represent the State on appeal. Absent extraordinary
circumstances, oral argument will not be granted.
This Court will expeditiously review the record and the briefs and render a
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decision either by summary order or by a written opinion. Procedural issues, such
as lack of proper notice, will be reviewed de novo as questions of law, but the trial
court’s finding on the issue of competency will be reviewed as a question of fact and
presumed correct, unless the evidence in the record preponderates against the
finding. See Tenn. R. App. P. 13(d).
If a prisoner is found to be incompetent, the execution date previously set by
the order of remand will be stayed by this Court and a copy of the order staying the
execution shall be provided to the prisoner’s counsel, the Warden, the Governor, the
district attorney general, and the State Attorney General.
If a prisoner is found to be competent, subsequent Ford claims will be
disallowed unless the prisoner, by way of a motion for stay, provides this Court with
an affidavit from a mental health professional showing that there has been a
substantial change in the prisoner’s mental health since the previous determination
of competency was made and the showing is sufficient to raise a substantial question
about the prisoner’s competency to be executed. Cf. Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 13-
4024(B) (West 1999).
H. Subsequent Treatment and Monitoring
One of the most difficult procedural questions, and the one most in need of
legislative response, is what is to be done with a prisoner who is not competent to be
executed. Unless treatment is provided, the mental problem will likely persist. There
are existing procedures in Tennessee for transferring a prisoner from the Department
of Correction to a facility of the Department of Mental Health and Retardation, see
Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 33-3 -701 to -711 (1999 Supp.), however, these procedures may
not apply to a death row inmate whose execution has been stayed due to
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incompetency. As previously stated, this is an issue which needs to be clarified by
legislation.
Regardless of whether treatment is provided, some procedure must exist
for reviewing the prisoner’s case to determine whether he or she has regained
competency. Until and unless a statutory review procedure is adopted, the order
staying execution will direct the parties to file in this Court every six months a
status report which summarizes the prisoner’s mental condition. Cf. Tenn. Code
Ann. § 33-7-301(c) (Supp. 1999) (requires a report at six-month intervals where a
defendant has been found incompetent to stand trial); cf. Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. §
13-4023(A) (West Supp. 1998) (requiring a report on a prisoner’s treatment and
status at sixty day intervals after the initial finding of incompetency); Ky. Rev. Stat.
Ann. § 431.2135(4) (Michie Supp. 1998) (requiring reports once each month or
more frequently if the court orders). When and if these submissions indicate that
the prisoner has regained competency, this Court will remand the case to the trial
court for a hearing to determine whether the prisoner has regained competency so
that an execution date may be scheduled. Harris, 789 P.2d at 73. At the hearing,
the State will bear the burden of proving competency by a preponderance of the
evidence. See Singleton, 437 S.E.2d at 60 (holding that burden is on the State to
prove by a preponderance of the evidence that a prisoner has regained
competency).
IV .
SUMMARY
For the sake of clarity, below is a summary of the procedure set forth herein
that a prisoner sentenced to death must follow in order to assert his or her
common law and constitutional rights to challenge competency to be executed.
Motion of State Attorney General to set execution date is filed in this Court.
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Ten (10) days thereafter prisoner files a response in this Court, raising the
competency issue.
As expeditiously as possible after the response is filed, this Court enters an
order which sets an execution date and remands the competency issue to
the trial court.
No later than three (3) days from entry of the order of remand, the prisoner
shall file a petition in the trial court which shall, among other things, set
forth the names of any mental health professionals who would be available
and willing to evaluate the prisoner if the trial court determines an
evaluation is required.
No later than three (3) days from filing of the petition, the district
attorney general shall file a response to the petition in the trial court
which shall, among other things, set forth the names of any mental
health professionals who would be available and willing to evaluate
the prisoner if the trial court determines an evaluation is required.
No later than four (4) days after the response of the district attorney
general is filed, the trial court shall decide if a hearing is warranted
and if so, appoint mental health professionals to conduct an
evaluation. If the trial court decides that a hearing is not warranted
and enters an order denying the petition, the prisoner may appeal
pursuant to the procedure set out under the heading “Appellate
Review.”
No later than ten (10) days after the mental health professionals are
appointed, they shall file written evaluation reports in the trial court.
No later than ten (10) days after the evaluations are filed, the trial court
shall hold and conclude a hearing.
No later than five (5) days after conclusion of the hearing, the trial court
shall file an order containing written findings of fact and conclusions of law.
Appellate Review
No later than ten (10) days from the date of entry of the trial court’s order,
the record of the trial court proceeding shall be filed in this Court with the
Office of the Appellate Court Clerk in Nashville.
No later than five (5) days thereafter, the brief of the party unsuccessful in
the trial court shall be filed in this Court.
No later than five (5) days thereafter, the response brief of the prevailing
party shall be filed in this Court.
As expeditiously as possible after the record and briefs are filed, this Court
will render a decision either by a summary order or by a written opinion.
When a prisoner is found to be incompetent, this Court will enter an order
staying the execution and directing the parties to file in this Court every six
months a status report which summarizes the prisoner’s mental condition.
When and if it appears from these reports that the prisoner has regained
competency, a hearing will be held in the trial court, in the manner
previously set out, to determine the issue of competency. The State will
-25-
have the burden of proving competency by a preponderance of the
evidence.
Issues may, and no doubt, will, arise in competency proceedings which
have not been addressed in this opinion. Such issues can and will be resolved on
a case-by-case basis. We end our analysis by expressing our agreement with a
statement made by the Washington Supreme Court with regard to the procedure it
adopted for application in competency proceedings:
It is particularly important that these procedures be followed in death
penalty competency claims. Federal habeas corpus review of a
death penalty case is nearly inevitable. As the [United States]
Supreme Court has observed, in a habeas corpus proceeding, ‘even
a single federal judge may overturn the judgment of the highest court
of a State insofar as it deals with the application of the United States
Constitution or laws to the facts in question.’ [Citation omitted.] As
we have previously noted, however, the federal habeas court will
accord state court findings of fact a presumption of correctness, and
those factual contentions may not be relitigated in federal court.
[Citation omitted.]
Harris, 789 P.2d at 72.
V .
CONCLUSION
We affirm the holding of the Court of Criminal Appeals that a claim that a
prisoner is not competent to be executed cannot be raised in a proceeding under
the Post-Conviction Procedure Act. Furthermore, applying the procedure set forth
herein to the facts in this appeal, we conclude that the issue of competency to be
executed is not ripe for determination because Van Tran’s execution is not
imminent. Although an execution date has been set in accordance with this
Court’s policy of expediting capital cases, Van Tran has not yet filed a petition for
habeas corpus relief in federal court and therefore has not exhausted all
remedies. As previously stated, execution is imminent in Tennessee only when a
prisoner sentenced to death has unsuccessfully pursued all state and federal
remedies for testing the validity and correctness of the prisoner’s conviction and
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sentence and this Court has set an execution date upon motion of the Attorney
General. Clearly, execution is not imminent and the question of whether Van Tran
is competent to be executed is not ripe for determination. Accordingly, we affirm
the judgments of the trial court and the Court of Criminal Appeals on the separate
grounds stated herein.
_____________________________________
FRANK F. DROWOTA, III,
JUSTICE
Concur:
Anderson, C.J.
Holder, Barker, JJ.
Concurring in Part, Dissenting in Part:
Birch, J.
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