Legal Opinion
Robert Vernon Bruce v. W. J. Estelle, Director, Texas Department of Corrections
Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Decided August 9, 1976No. 75-3284PublishedCited by 147 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
CLARK, Circuit Judge:
This appeal caps a series of protracted postconviction proceedings designed to determine whether Robert Bruce was legally competent to stand trial for the murder of his wife in 1965. Pursuant to our mandate in Bruce’s last appeal, the district court conducted a nunc pro tunc competency hearing and concluded that petitioner did not suffer from any mental illness which would interfere with his ability to assist in his own defense and factually and rationally understand the proceedings against him. Since we are unable to agree with that crucial determination, we must reverse…
2Cases cited18 opinions
- Johnson v. ZerbstSupreme Court of the United States · 1938
- Mullaney v. WilburSupreme Court of the United States · 1975
- Dusky v. United StatesSupreme Court of the United States · 1960
- Pate v. RobinsonSupreme Court of the United States · 1966
- Drope v. MissouriSupreme Court of the United States · 1975
13 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by147 opinions
- United States v. Charles Joseph Hogan, A/K/A Hal Winter Michael TrupeiCourt of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit · 1993
- Nollie Lee Martin v. Louie L. WainwrightCourt of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit · 1985
- Frank M. Miller, Jr. v. Peter J. Fenton, Superintendent, Rahway State Prison, Irwin I. Kimmelman, Attorney General, State of New JerseyCourt of Appeals for the Third Circuit · 1986
- Terry Allen Bouchillon v. James A. Collins, Director Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional DivisionCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 1990
- Jerry Lane Jurek v. W. J. Estelle, Jr., Director, Texas Department of Corrections, RespondentCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · 1980
142 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.