Ake v. Oklahoma case brief

Ake v. Oklahoma case brief summary
470 U.S. 68 (1985)

CASE SYNOPSIS

Petitioner, who was indigent, sought review by certiorari of a judgment of the Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, which affirmed his conviction for murder after finding that he was not entitled to the assistance of a psychiatrist in preparing his insanity defense.

CASE FACTS
Petitioner was convicted of murder. He appealed his conviction, claiming that the State should have provided him with access to a psychiatrist in order to prepare his defense of insanity. The court of appeals affirmed the conviction.

DISCUSSION

• On review, the Court determined that when a State brought its judicial power to bear on an indigent defendant in a criminal proceeding it was required to take steps to assure that the defendant had a fair opportunity to present a defense. 
• The Court found that the State had ample notice that petitioner intended to present a defense of insanity to the murder charges against him. 
• Due process required that the State provide petitioner with access to a psychiatrist both to assist in the preparation of his insanity defense to the charges and in any sentencing proceedings. 
• Petitioner's murder conviction was therefore reversed and remanded for a new trial.

CONCLUSION
The Court reversed the judgment and remanded the matter for a new trial.

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