“Allowing a schizophrenic in a cowboy costume to represent himself in a death penalty case gives new meaning to the term ‘frontier justice,’” said Jim Marcus, executive director of the defender service. “Given the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals’ history of tolerance for defense lawyers who sleep or use drugs and alcohol throughout death penalty trials, however, its laissez-faire approach is hardly surprising,’ he said.
“Scott Monroe, who was named standby counsel with no authority to aid the defense unless asked, said: ‘It was very obvious from his mannerisms and the way he conducted himself that he was mentally ill. There was never a question about that. That was very well documented, but still he was allowed to defend himself in that case, and basically I sat around and watched him do it.’”