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Ake V. Oklahoma And An Indigent Defendant's 'Right' To An Expert Witness: A Promise Denied Or Imagined?, Carlton Bailey

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

Since the Supreme Court's decision in Ake v. Oklahoma, it has attempted to determine and clarify the rights of an indigent defendant. Over the past sixteen years, many questions concerning an indigent defendant's access to expert witnesses have been answered, but many questions still remain. In this article, Professor Carlton Bailey attempts to clarify the Ake decision by arguing that an indigent defendant should be able to secure, upon a proper showing, psychiatric and non-psychiatric assistance at state expense.