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Rodney Gene Beeler v. Dao Vang, Acting Warden
IFP petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, No. 20-99014 · judgment January 23, 2026
Question presented
Before he was sentenced to death, Rodney Beeler underwent tests that showed severe neurological damage. He had a history of brutal psychological abuse, head injuries, and blackouts; and undisputed evidence showed he hallucinated and disassociated from events occurring around him at the time of his capital trial. The question presented is: Did the Ninth Circuit’s opinion conflict with this Court’s decisions in Pate v. Robinson, 383 U.S. 375 (1966), and Drope v. Missouri, 420 U.S. 162 (1975), when it found that Beeler’s conviction and death sentence when he was incompetent to stand trial did not violate his due process rights?
Counsel of record
For petitioner
John Stafford Crouchley
Office of the Federal Public Defender
For respondent
Vincent Paul LaPietra
California Attorney General's Office
Proceedings
- Aug 27 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/28/2026.
- Aug 10 2026Brief of respondent Dao Vang, Acting Warden in opposition filed.
- Jul 01 2026Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including August 10, 2026. See Rule 30.1.
- Jun 30 2026Motion to extend the time to file a response from July 10, 2026 to August 9, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
- Jun 03 2026Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due July 10, 2026)
- Apr 15 2026Application (25A1136) granted by Justice Kagan extending the time to file until June 7, 2026.
- Apr 07 2026Application (25A1136) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from April 23, 2026 to June 7, 2026, submitted to Justice Kagan.