SECOND DI VI SI ON

A NDREWS, P. J.

, M C F A D DEN and RA

Y, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

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Febr uar y 10, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 4 A2 13 2 . LEW IS v . THE STATE.

M C F A D D E N , J u d g e.

Dav i d T. Lewi s was co n vi ct ed i n a b en ch tri al o f fal s e i m p ri s o n m en t

, ab u s e o f

an el d erl y p ers o n , ag grav at ed a s s a u l t

, an d h i n d eri n g a p ers o n fro m m ak i n g an

em erg en cy cal l

. He ap p e a l s h i s co nv i ct i o n s, arg u i n g t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred by

d en y i n g h i s req u es t fo r co n t i n u an ce. Lewi s req ues t ed t h at co n t i nu an ce o n t h e d ay o f

t ri al

, a f t e r f i r i n g h i s fo u rt h at t o rn ey

. W e fi n d t h at t h e t ri al co u rt d i d no t err an d

t h erefo re affi rm Lewi s ’ s co nv i ct i o n s

.

Lewi s was i n d i ct ed fo r t h e cri m es o n F e b r u ary 2 1

, 2 0 1 2

. At t o rn ey D av i d E.

M o rg an III fi l ed an en t ry o f ap pearan ce o n M ay 19

, 2 0 1 2

, an d fi led v ari ou s m o t i o n s

.

Th e reco rd co n t ai ns n o d o cu m en t reg ard i n g M o rg an ’ s wi t h d rawal , b u t o n Ap ri l 1 5,

2 0 1 3

, at t o rn ey J

. Fran k Sm i t h

, J r. fi l ed an en t ry of ap p earan ce an d vari o u s m o t i o n s

.Lewi s as k ed Sm i t h t o wi t h d raw, an d, o n J u l y 15

, 2 01 3

, Sm i t h fi l ed a m o ti o n t o d o s o.

Th e t ri al co u rt gran t ed Sm it h ’ s m o t i o n t o w i t hd raw. Sh o rt l y t hereaft er, at to rn ey Sarah

Ri ed el en t ered an ap p earan ce o n Lewi s ’ s b eh al f an d f i l ed m o t i o n s. Bu t l es s t h an a

m o nt h l at er, Lewi s fi led a p ro s e p l ead i n g co n sen t i n g to Ri ed el ’ s wi t h d rawal fro m t h e

cas e. At t o rn ey Th o m as F. J arri el t h en b eg an rep res en t i n g Lewi s

.

On Mo n d ay , Oct o b er 7

, 2 0 1 3

, t h e t ri al co u rt h el d a cal en d ar c a ll at wh i ch

Lewi s wai v ed h i s ri g h t t o a ju ry t ri al ; J arri el

, Lewi s’ s at t o rn ey , an n ou n ced t h at h e was

read y fo r t ri al ; an d t h e co u rt set Lewi s ’ s t ri al fo r Fri d ay , Oct o ber 1 1

. W h en t h e cas e

was cal led th at Fri d ay , Lewi s i n d i cat ed t h at h e w an t ed t o d i sch arg e Jarri el an d s o u g ht

a co n t in u an ce. Th e co u rt a l l o w e d J arri el t o wi th d raw b u t d en i ed t h e req u es t fo r a

co n ti n u an ce. Th e b en ch tri al p ro ceed ed wi t h Lewi s rep res en ti n g h i m s el f an d t h e t ri al

co u rt fo u n d h i m

g u il ty

.

Lewi s n ow ap p eal s , arg u i n g t h at t h e t ri al co urt ab u s ed h i s d is cret i o n i n d en y i n g

h i s m o t i o n fo r co n t i n u an ce.

“ Al l ap p l i cat i o n s fo r co n t i n uan ces are ad d res sed t o th e s o u n d leg al d i s cret i o n

o f t h e co urt

. . . .” OCGA § 1 7 -8 -2 2

. “ Th e d efen d an t ’ s co n d uct i s ob v i o u s ly rel ev an t

an d i s a p r o p e r co n s i d erat io n fo r t he ju d g e i n t h e ex erci s e o f h is d i s cret i o n

. Th e

reas on fo r t h i s i s to p rev en t t h e d efen d an t fro m u s i n g d i s ch arg e an d em

p lo y m en t o f

2co u ns el as a d i l at ory t act ic.” McCo n n el l v. S t a t e , 2 6 3 G a. A p p

. 6 8 6, 6 8 7 ( 1 ) ( 5 8 9

SE2 d 27 1 ) (2 0 0 3 ) (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n om i t t ed ). Th e s u d d en wi th d rawal o f

ret ai n ed co u n s el is n o t “ i p s o fact o a g ro u n d fo r co n t i nu an ce.” Hu cka by v. S t a t e , 1 2 7

Ga. Ap p . 4 3 9 , 4 4 0 (1 ) (1 9 4 SE2 d 1 1 9 ) (1 9 7 2 ) (ci t at i o n o m i tt ed ).

Lewi s arg u es t h at th e t ri al co u rt ab u sed h i s di s cret io n d en y i n g th e co nt i n u an ce

b ecau s e th e d en ial req u i red Lewi s t o g o t o t ri al wi t h o ut t h e as s i s t an ce of co u n s el

. He

co n ced es , h o wev er, t h at h e “ d es erv es s o m e o f th e b lam e fo r t erm i nat i ng h i s co u n s el

aft er t he cal en d ar cal l ” an d ev en t h at h e wai v ed h i s ri g h t t o co u n s el

, al bei t i m p l i ci t l y

.

Lewi s h ad d i s ch arg ed at l eas t t h ree at t o rn ey s , i n cl ud i n g o n e o n t h e d ay o f t ri al , h ad

a n n o u n ced read y fo r t ri al

, an d s o u g h t t h e co n ti nu an ce at t he co m m en cem en t o f t h e

t ri al

. H e i n s i s t ed t h at h e di d n o t wan t J arri el t o r e p r e s e n t h i m i n s p i t e o f t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s warn i n gs o f th e d an gers o f p ro ceed i n g wi t h o u t co u n s el

. U n d er t h es e

ci rcu m s t an ces ,

t h e t ri al co u rt was au t h o ri zed t o co ncl u d e t h at [Lewi s ] was at t e m p t i n g

t o u s e t h e d is ch arg e

. . . o f

. . . co u ns el as a d i l at o ry t act i c, wh i ch was th e

fu n ct i o n al eq u iv al en t o f a k n o w i n g an d vo l u n t ary wai v er o f

. . . co u ns el

. In s u ch i n s t an ces , t h e t ri al co u rt m ay [d en y a co n t in u an ce an d ] p ro ceed

t o t ri al wi t h t h e d efen d an t rep res en ti n g h im s el f.

3Ho b s o n v. S t a t e , 2 6 6 Ga. 6 3 8 (2 ) (4 6 9 SE2 d 1 8 8 ) (1 9 9 6) (ci tat i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ). See al so Br

ya n t v. S t a t e , 2 6 8 Ga. 6 1 6

, 6 1 7 -6 1 8 (2 ) (4 9 1 SE2 d 3 2 0 ) (1 9 9 7 )

(co u rt d i d n o t err b y

d en y i n g d efen d an t ’ s m o t i o n fo r co n t i n u an ce aft er h e s o u g h t to

d i s ch arg e co u n s el d u ri n g ju ry s el ect i o n an d el ect ed t o p ro ceed p ro s e); Ca in v. S t a t e ,

3 1 0 G a

. A p p

. 4 42

, 4 4 4 (1 ) (7 1 4 SE2 d 6 5 ) (2 0 1 1) (t ri al co urt d i d n o t err i n d en y i n g

co n ti n u an ce an d req u i ri n g d efen d an t to p ro ceed p ro s e); M a s s a l en e v. S t a t e , 2 2 4 Ga.

Ap p

. 3 21

, 3 2 2 (1 ) (4 80 SE2 d 6 1 6 ) (1 9 9 7) (t ri al co u rt d i d n o t err i n d en y i n g m o t i o n

fo r co n t i nu an ce wh en d efen d an t d i s ch arg ed at t o r n e y o n d ay o f t ri al an d el ect ed to

p ro ceed p ro se); Ba co n v. S t a t e , 1 4 6 Ga. Ap p

. 4 6 8 (2 46 SE2 d 4 7 5 ) (1 9 7 8) (i f t h e fau l t

i n no n rep res en t at i o n l i es wi t h t h e d efen d an t fi ri n g an at to rn ey at th e l as t m i n u t e, h e

wi l l n o t b e en t it l ed t o a co n t i nu an ce t o p rep are fo r t ri al ).

Lewi s arg u es t h at t he t ri al co u rt s h o u ld h av e g ran t ed a co nt i n uan ce s o t h at h e

co u ld rev i ew ev i d en ce h an d ed t o h i m t h e d ay o f t ri al

. T h i s ev i d en ce co n si st ed o f t h e

m ed i cal reco rd s o f t h e vi ct i m , Lewi s ’ s m o t her, wh o h ad di ed b y t h e t i m e of t ri al

. Bu t

t h e t ri al co urt o ffered Lewi s t i m e t o rev iew t h e v i ct i m ’ s m ed i cal reco rd s , wh i ch t h e

d i s ch arg ed at t orn ey , J arri el

, had h an d ed t o h i m at t h e b eg i n n i n g o f t h e p ro c e e d i n g.

Lewi s d o es n o t ex p l ai n h o w m o re t i m e wo u l d h av e h el p ed h i m

.

4Lewi s arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt sh o ul d h av e g r a n t e d h i s m ot i o n fo r

co n ti n u an ce s o t h at he co u l d ob t ai n wi t n es ses

. He co n ced es , ho wev er, t h at h e d i d n ot

m ak e t h e req ui red p ro ffer o f wh at t h os e wi t n es s es w o u l d t e st i fy ab ou t o r w h o t h ey

were. See Kn o x v. S ta t e , 2 2 7 Ga. Ap p

. 4 47

, 4 4 8 (4 8 9 SE2 d 5 8 2 ) (1 9 9 7 ). Th e fact t h at

h e p ro ceed ed p ro s e d o es n o t ex cu s e h is fai lu re t o m ak e t h e req u i red s ho wi ng

. A p art y

“ i s n ot h el d t o a d i fferen t o r m o re l en i en t s t an d ard . . . m erel y b ecau se h e el ect ed t o

p ro ceed p ro s e. O n e wh o k no wi n g l y el ect s t o rep res en t h i m s el f as s u m es fu l l

res p o n s i b i l i t y fo r co m

p l y i n g wi t h t he s u b s t an t i v e an d pro ced u ral req u irem en t s o f t h e

l aw.” S a la z a r v. S t at e , 25 6 G a. Ap p. 5 0

, 5 3 (4 ) (5 6 7 SE2 d 7 0 6 ) (2 00 2 ) (ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ).

To t h e ex t en t t h at Lewi s arg u es t h at h e w as en ti t l ed t o a co n t i n u an ce b ecau s e

h e was m en t al l y i l l

, he p o in t s t o n o reco rd ev i den ce s u p p ort i n g t h e as s ert io n t h at h e

was m en t al l y i ll

. In fact

, t h e t ri al co u rt fo un d th at L ewi s w as co m p et en t t o s t an d t ri al

an d u n d ers t o o d t h e ch arg es ag ai n st h i m

.

Lewi s has n o t d em o n s t rat ed t h at th e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y in g hi s req u es t fo r

a co n ti n u an ce. Acco rd in g l y , h i s co n v i ct i o n s are affi rm ed

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . An d

r ews , P. J., a n d

Ra y, J., co n cu r

.

5