California Supreme Court
The People v. Mai
October 2, 2013
Summary
The court affirmed defendant's convictions and death sentence, rejecting claims that his attorneys labored under an actual conflict of interest, provided ineffective assistance, or failed to protect his competency rights. The court held that defendant knowingly waived any potential conflict, that the record showed reasonable strategic decisions and no conflict-related prejudice, and that neither defendant's conduct nor the available mental-health evidence required a competency hearing.