Case Summary
The appellate court overturned a lower court's ruling that denied a defendant, convicted on narcotics charges, access to court-appointed assistance for an insanity defense predicated on substance addiction. The appellate court determined that the defendant possessed a right to such assistance in formulating his defense. The case was remanded to the lower court for further proceedings.
Case Summary
The defendant's conviction on narcotics charges was overturned by the D.C. Circuit Court. The lower court had denied the defendant's request for court-appointed assistance in developing an insanity defense predicated on his drug addiction. The appellate court found that this denial violated the defendant's Sixth Amendment right to counsel, specifically holding that he was entitled to such assistance to explore this aspect of his defense. The case was remanded for further proceedings consistent with this ruling.
Summary
A judge refused to help a person accused of drug crimes who wanted to argue they were not guilty due to addiction. A higher court overturned this decision, saying the accused had a right to assistance in building this defense. The case will now be re-examined by the lower court.
Summary
A man was found guilty of drug crimes. He said he was so addicted to substances that he was not responsible for his actions, but the court wouldn't help him prove it. A higher court said the lower court was wrong and that he should have gotten help to build his case. The case is going back to the lower court.