Hamilton v. State

The only question presented by this appeal is whether it was reversible error for the lower court to try the defendant-appellant (Joseph Hamilton) on a charge of armed robbery, to which a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity (in addition to the usual plea of not guilty) had been entered, absent a pretrial mental examination of the defendant by the Department of Mental Hygiene (the Department).

Since it is conceded that the evidence was legally sufficient to convict him of the offense charged, the facts, other than those involving the procedural aspects of the case, will be limited to the…