Dr. Dale C. Cameron v. William v. Fisher

In Williams v. Overholser1 where Williams had pleaded guilty to a misdemean- or charge, we pointed to the availability of the provisions of D.C.Code § 21-306 (1961) et seq. as one basis for commitment proceedings, holding that otherwise § 24-301 authorized confinement only upon a determination that an accused is mentally incompetent to stand trial.

Three years later after further consideration, this court sitting en banc decided Overholser v. Lynch2 on January 26, 1961. The majority thought a trial judge, possessed of reasonable doubt as to the sanity of the accused at the time of the offense,…