Whether the trial court was obligated to determine the mental competency of a defendant before granting him the right to represent himself at trial if it had reason to believe that he lacked a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings

QUESTION PRESENTED WHETHER THE TRIAL COURT WAS OBLIGATED : TO DETERMINE THE MENTAL COMPETENCY OF A DEFENDANT BEFORE GRANTING HIM THE : RIGHT TO REPRESENT HIMSELF AT TRIAL IF IT , HAD REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HE LACKED A RATIONAL AND FACTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF ; THE PROCEEDINGS; AND IF SUCH DEFENDANT BE FOUND INCOMPETENT OR BARELY , COMPETENT, THAT IT HAD THE RIGHT TO DENY THAT DEFENDANT THE RIGHT OF SELFREPRESENTATION. lv