Alvin J. Brown v. United States

Appellant, an indigent indicted on narcotic charges, attempted to utilize the defense of insanity based on drug addiction. In an effort to develop evidence for this defense, he made three motions in the District Court for a mental examination and, when these were denied, he made two additional motions to subpoena a psychiatrist. These motions were also denied. See 24 D.C.Code § •301(a) (1961); 18 U.S.C. § 4244 (1951); Rule 17(b), F.R.Cr.P. (1961).

The moving papers contained allegations of long narcotic addiction which, being unquestioned by the Government or the court, must be taken as true.…