State v. Skamfer

The principal issue on appeal is whether Matthew C. Skamfer's commitment to a mental institution upon a finding of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect rendered him a "prisoner" within the meaning of the battery by prisoners statute, sec. 940.20(1), Stats. We hold it did.

Skamfer also asserts that the trial court committed statutory and constitutional error by refusing to appoint a psychiatrist on his behalf following his plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. We reject the statutory component of this argument on the basis of existing case law. We deem the…