Thomas E. Blunt v. United States

BAZELON, Chief Judge:

This appeal from a conviction for housebreaking attacks the adequacy of a pretrial competency hearing. 1 Before trial appellant was committed to Saint Elizabeths for a mental examination pursuant to D.C.Code, 1961 ed., § 24-301 (a). By letter dated April 2, 1965, the Hospital Superintendent informed the court without elaboration of its inquiry or diagnosis that “Mr. Blunt is mentally competent for trial * * * [and] is not now or was not * * * suffering from mental disease or defect.” At a hearing held on April 15,1965, 10 months before trial, Dr. Eugene Stanmeyer,…