South Carolina v. Barnes

Appellant Steven Barnes was convicted on kidnapping and murder charges. The jury found two aggravating circumstances and recommended the death sentence. The judge sentenced appellant to death for the murder, but no sentence for kidnapping. On appeal, appellant contended that the trial court erred in allowing his attorney to call a defense psychiatrist to testify regarding appellant's right to represent himself, by denying his "Faretta" request, in limiting voir dire, by qualifying a particular juror, and by refusing to dismiss the indictments because of the State's alleged failure to comply with the Interstate Agreement on Detainers Act. Finding that the trial court applied the incorrect competency standard in its denial of the Faretta request, the Supreme Court reversed on that ground.View "South Carolina v. Barnes" on Justia Law