FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE NEWS RELEASE #036
F
ROM: CLERK OF SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA
The Opinion handed down on the 29th day of September, 2020 is as follows:
PER CURIAM::
2015-KA-01592 STATE OF LOUISIANA VS. ISAIAH DOYLE (Parish of Jefferson)
The district court has determined that defendant is incompetent to assist
counsel with this capital appeal and, further, that he is unlikely in the
foreseeable future to be restored to competence. These dete rminations are
supported by the record. In accordance with the joint motion of the parties,
the case is remanded to the district court to expeditiously determine whether
defendant lacks the capacity to understand the death penalty imposed in this
case, such that he may not be executed. See State v. Perry, 502 So.2d 543
(La.1986); see also Ford v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 399, 106 S.Ct. 2595, 91
L.Ed.2d 355 (1986).
REMANDED.
Retired Judge James Boddie, Jr., appointed Justice pro tempore, sitting for
the vacancy in Louisiana Supreme Court District 4.

09/29/20
SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA
N
o. 2015-KA-01592
S
TATE OF LOUISIANA
v
ersus
I
SAIAH DOYLE
O
N APPEAL FROM THE TWENTH-FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT,
PARISH OF JEFFERSON
PE
R CURIAM:
Th e district court has determined that defendant is incompetent to assist
counsel with this capital appeal and, further, that he is unlikely in the foreseeable
future to be restored to competence. These determinations are supported by the
record. In accordance with the joint motion of the parties, the case is remanded to
the district court to expeditiously determine whether defendant lacks the capacity to
understand the death penalty imposed in this case, such that he may not be executed.
See State v. Perry, 502 So.2d 543 (La. 1986); see also Ford v. Wainwright, 477 U.S.
399, 106 S.Ct. 2595, 91 L.Ed.2d 355 (1986).
In the event the district court finds defendant is not competent to understand
the death penalty such that he cannot be executed, the district court shall resentence
defendant to a term of life imprisonment at hard labor without benefit of parole,
probation, or suspension of sentence. In such event, despite his incapacity to proceed
with a capital appeal, defendant is represented by counsel, who may proceed with a
non-capital appeal on his behalf. See Dugar v. Whitley, 615 So.2d 1334 (La. 1993).
Therefore, if the district court find s defendant lacks the capacity to understand the
death penalty such that he cannot be executed, in addition to resentencing him to life
imprisonment without parole eligibility, the district court shall enter an order of

15-KA-1592

2

appeal to the Court of Appeal, Fifth Circuit, for its consideration as a non -capital
appeal, over which that court has jurisdiction pursuant to La. Const. Art. V, § 10.
REMANDED