State v. Barnett

OPINION

ANDERSON, Chief Justice.

We granted this appeal to determine whether an indigent defendant in a non-capital ease is entitled to the appointment of an independent psychiatric expert at state expense to assist the defense in trial preparation. Both the trial court and the Court of Criminal Appeals denied the defendant’s request for expert assistance. We conclude that when a defendant in a non-capital case demonstrates to the trial court in an ex parte proceeding that his sanity at the time of the offense is to be a significant factor at trial, the federal constitution, at a minimum,…