Goodman v. State

PRENTICE, Justice.

Defendant (Appellant) was convicted after a bench trial of Murder, a class A felony, Ind.Code § 85-42-1-1(1) (Burns 1979), and sentenced to forty (40) years imprisonment.

This direct appeal presents two issues for review:

1. Whether the trial court erred in failing to hold a third competency hearing pri- or to Defendant's trial.

2. Whether Defendant's confession was voluntarily given.

The record disclosed that on December 14, 1977, the Defendant and his girlfriend, Mary Spitznagel, argued about money, and, in the presence of a guest, Jimmy Rogers, the Defendant hit her…