People v. Wood

Defendant was convicted, after bench trial, of first degree murder of his mother, concealment of homicidal death, violation of OP, aggravated unlawful restraint, and aggravated fleeing or eluding police officer. Uncontradicted testimony that Defendant had been treated for mental illness prior to murder, along with stipulations by many doctors who examined him after murder and agreed that he had schizophrenia, was sufficient to prove that he was mentally ill at time of murder. Counsel's performance, in failing to assert defense of insanity at trial to obtain finding of Guilty But Mentally Ill, was not ineffective assistance of counsel. Defense counsel provided reasonable explanation for his decision, and Defendant's own expert concluded that Defendant understood criminality of his actions. (HYMAN and NEVILLE, concurring.)