Pursuant to the California Supreme Court’s decision in People v. Rodas (2018) 6 Cal.5th 219, 223, the Court of Appeal found that the trial court erred in failing to suspend trial and initiate competency proceedings. During trial, defense counsel repeatedly raised concerns regarding the defendant’s competency and informed the court that the defendant had stopped taking his antipsychotic medication almost immediately after being released from the state hospital. Defense counsel also informed the court that he suspected the defendant’s symptoms had returned and they were preventing him from rationally assisting with his defense. The Court of Appeal found this was substantial evidence of changed circumstances which required another formal competency proceeding and reversed the conviction.
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