Saunders v. Commissioner of Correction

Summary

The court held that due process competency claims are subject to Connecticut's procedural default doctrine, but that alleged incompetency may constitute external cause sufficient to excuse a default. The petitioner’s pleadings adequately alleged both that incompetency prevented timely assertion of the claims and that he was prejudiced because a competency evaluation could have shown that he was incompetent and not restorable, precluding trial and conviction. The case was remanded for an evidentiary determination of those issues.