State v. Coats

The State charged Defendant with class D felony sexual battery. Defendant, who was born in 1943, filed a motion for a competency determination. Doctors evaluating Defendant diagnosed him with dementia, concluded that he was not competent to stand trial, and predicted that he would not be able to be restored to competency. Based on the doctors’ reports and without a hearing, the trial court found that Defendant was not competent to stand trial and that he could not be restored to competency. The State then requested that the court commit Defendant to the Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) pursuant to Ind. Code 35-36-3-1(b). The trial court denied the motion. The Supreme Court reversed the trial court’s denial of the State’s motion to commit Defendant to the DMHA, holding that section 35-36-3-1(b) requires trial courts to commit defendants found not competent to stand trial to the DMHA for competency restoration services. Remanded. View "State v. Coats" on Justia Law