Commonwealth v. Simpson

This appeal, here for further appellate review at the request of the Commonwealth, presents issues arising out of the Appeals Court’s concern that the trial judge did not conduct a hearing on the defendant’s competence to stand trial. The Appeals Court, which pursued the issue on its own motion, reversed the defendant’s convictions because it concluded that the trial judge should have conducted a competency hearing “in light of [the defendant’s] bizarre performance” while representing himself at trial. Commonwealth v. Simpson, 44 Mass. App. Ct. 154, 163 (1998). The Appeals Court then remanded…