Justices weigh defendants’ right to own mental health expert

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(AP) – The Supreme Court seems closely divided about whether an
Alabama death row inmate should get a new sentencing hearing because he did not
have a mental health expert on his side when he was tried and sentenced to death
more than 30 years ago.The court has ruled previously that poor defendants whose mental health might
be a factor in the criminal charges they are facing have a right to an expert’s
evaluation. The justices on Monday took up a case about whether the expert must
be independent of the prosecution.

The outcome also could affect two Arkansas inmates who were spared execution
last week by the Arkansas Supreme Court while the nation’s highest court
considers the issue.

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