Case Name: Alphonso HAYDEN v. STATE of Mississippi
Court: Mississippi Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Mississippi
Decision Date: 2007-11-15
Citations: 972 So. 2d 525
Docket Number: No. 2006-KA-00854-SCT
Parties: Alphonso HAYDEN v. STATE of Mississippi.
Judges: SMITH, C.J., EASLEY, RANDOLPH AND LAMAR, JJ., CONCUR. RANDOLPH, J., SPECIALLY CONCURS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION, JOINED BY SMITH, C. J., DICKINSON AND LAMAR, JJ. CARLSON, J., DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED BY WALLER AND DIAZ, P JJ., AND IN PART BY GRAVES, J. GRAVES, J., DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED BY DIAZ, P.J., AND IN PART BY WALLER, P.J. AND CARLSON, J.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 972
Pages: 525–550

Head Matter:
Alphonso HAYDEN v. STATE of Mississippi.
No. 2006-KA-00854-SCT.
Supreme Court of Mississippi.
Nov. 15, 2007.
Rehearing Denied Jan. 31, 2008.
Michael R. Farrow, Columbus, Phillip Broadhead, Oxford, attorneys for appellant.
Office of the Attorney General by Jeffrey A. Klingfuss, attorneys for appellee.

Opinion:
DICKINSON, Justice,
for the Court.
¶ 1. Alphonso Hayden was indicted by the Lowndes County Grand Jury for unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle. At trial, the State called Hayden's former attorney to testify that two documents produced to the State in discovery (a certificate of title and a bill of sale) were provided by Hayden to his attorney. This testimony allowed the State to argue that, because Hayden had actual possession of the documents (which had different vehicle identification numbers), he knew, or should have known, the vehicle had been stolen.
¶2. Hayden was convicted and sentenced as a habitual offender to serve ten years imprisonment, without parole. The questions presented are: (1) whether the attorney-client privilege was breached when the former attorney testified he received the two documents from his client; and (2) whether — by removing the former attorney from the case so he could testify — the trial judge violated Hayden's right to counsel guaranteed by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution and Article 3, Section 26 of the Mississippi Constitution.
BACKGROUND FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS
¶ 3. On May 28, 2003, a 2003 white GMC Yukon Denali, bearing vehicle identification number ("VIN") 1GKEK63U73J140390 was stolen from the parking lot of Royal Automotive Company in Atlanta, Georgia. Five days later, a man identifying himself as Curtis Powell entered the Madison County Tax Collector's office in Ridgeland, Mississippi, and submitted a title application for a white 2003 Yukon Denali, with VIN 1GKEK63U73J140390. The application represented that the Yukon had no lien-holders, and that Powell had purchased it from Herrin-Gear Chevrolet in Jackson, Mississippi. Deputy Tax Collector Lisa Duvall issued Powell a Madison County vehicle tag bearing the number 838 MBE for the white Yukon.
¶ 4. In early June 2003, Jerome Miller, a 31-year resident of Columbus, but more recently a resident of Shuqualak in Noxub-ee County, had a chance meeting with Hayden, whom Miller had known for many years. Miller's wife was about to retire from the local school system and Miller was interested in purchasing her a vehicle as a retirement gift. Miller noticed Hayden's white Yukon, and engaged him in a discussion about the vehicle.
¶ 5. On Saturday, June 21, 2003, city policeman Andrew Cotton, who was on routine patrol on North 18th Street near Sims Scott Park in Columbus, noticed a white GMC Denali "weaving" and being driven in "a careless manner." By checking tag number 838 MBE, Officer Cotton learned that the vehicle was registered to Curtis Powell of Ridgeland. Officer Cotton issued the driver, Hayden, a Uniform Traffic Ticket for careless driving.
¶ 6. On July 7, 2003, two men entered the Lowndes County Tax Collector's office together, and one of the men presented Deputy Tax Collector Pamela Lang a document purporting to be a copy of a title application for a white 2003 GMC Denali. The application, which listed no lienholder, represented that Marvin Harris had purchased the vehicle from Herrin-Gear Chevrolet in Jackson. Although at that time, Lang did not know the identities of the two men, she would later identify Hayden as the man who presented her with the title application. Lang issued Hayden a Lowndes County tag bearing number 677 LNX, for the white 2003 GMC Denali.
¶ 7. Later, Miller had another chance meeting with Hayden at a muffler shop on Highway 82 in Columbus. Hayden was a passenger in a red GMC Denali being driven by a man who was unknown to Miller. Recalling that Miller was interested in purchasing a vehicle for his wife, Hayden mentioned that he had purchased the white Denali (which Miller had seen before) from the man with him. Hayden stated that this man would be willing to sell Miller the red Denali. Miller checked out the red Denali by running a CARFAX, which revealed no negative information, and that the red Denali had been purchased in Baltimore, Maryland. Based on this information, and because Hayden in essence "vouched" for the unknown man who was supposedly from Prentiss, Mississippi, Miller and the man reached an agreement on the terms of purchase for the red Denali.
¶ 8. Miller borrowed some "up-front money" from a local bank so that he could take immediate possession of the vehicle. The seller "signed his title over to Miller" so that Miller could get a vehicle tag. According to the agreement, Miller was to pay the balance of the purchase price when he obtained a title in his name and a tag for the vehicle.
¶ 9. On July 15, 2003, Miller's wife went to the Noxubee County Tax Collector's office to purchase the vehicle tag. However, because the VIN on the title did not match the VIN on the red Denali, Mrs. Miller was unable to obtain the tag. When Miller came home that day from fishing, Trooper Randy Ginn of the Mississippi Highway Patrol was waiting to discuss this case with him. Miller learned from Trooper Ginn that the red Denali he had purchased from the unknown man had been stolen.
¶ 10. Trooper Ginn was trained in automobile theft detection and identification, including the method for inspecting a VIN plate to determine if it was fake. According to Trooper Ginn, two areas of inspection for fake VIN plates are the rivets used to attach the VIN plate to the dashboard and the font and style of the numbers and letters on the VIN plate. When Trooper Ginn arrived at the Millers's residence on July 15, he looked at the VIN plate on the red Denali and immediately determined that the VIN plate was fake. When he interviewed the Millers that day, he also reviewed the certificate of title which listed Robert Watson as the owner of the red Denali. Trooper Ginn learned from Miller that Hayden had been present during the transaction concerning the red Denali.
¶ 11. The following month, upon learning that Hayden could be found at East Mississippi Community College, Golden Triangle Campus, in Mayhew, Trooper Ginn made plans with other law enforcement officials to travel to the EMCC campus to talk with Hayden about the ongoing investigation concerning the Millers red Denali. Trooper Ginn learned from Miller that Hayden was driving a white 2003 GMC Denali; therefore, when Ginn arrived at the EMCC campus on August 18, 2003, he first looked for the white Denali.
¶ 12. Once the vehicle was located in the parking lot, Ginn looked at the VIN plate and concluded from his training that the VIN plate on Hayden's vehicle was fake. As Trooper Ginn would later testify at trial, "[t]he rivets that attached [the VIN plate] to the — the dashboard were not of — consistent with General Motors rivets, and the font and distinguishing characteristics of the letters and numbers in the VIN were not characteristic with General Motors VINs." The displayed VIN was 1GKEK63UX3J238295, the same VIN on the title application Hayden presented to deputy tax collector Pamela Lang to purchase a Lowndes County vehicle tag for the white 2003 GMC Denali.
¶ 13. Ginn went to the proper school administrator to receive permission to have Hayden removed from class. Instead of talking about the Millers red Denali, Trooper Ginn was by then interested in questioning Hayden about his white Denali. In due course, Ginn was able to determine that the white GMC Denali in Hayden's possession had been stolen from the Royal car dealership in Atlanta. Upon learning that "Marvin Harris" had been listed as the owner on the title application which Hayden presented to Pamela Lang at the Lowndes County Tax Collector's office to purchase a Lowndes County tag for the white Denali, Ginn attempted to locate Harris, to no avail.
¶ 14. In due course, the Lowndes County Grand Jury indicted Hayden for the crime of possession of stolen property. The indictment alleged, inter alia, that Hayden
on or about the 18th day of August, 2003, in the County aforesaid, did unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously, possess one 2003 GMC Yukon Denali, bearing vehicle identification number 1GKEK63U73J140390; said property having a total value in excess of $500.00, and having been feloniously stolen away from the said Royal Oldsmobile Co., Inc., and further that the said ALPHONSO HAYDEN knew or should have known that said property had been so stolen, in violation of MCA § 97-17-70; contrary to the form of the statutes in such cases made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the State of Mississippi.
¶ 15. The trial court allowed two amendments to the indictment. The first allowed the above language to be stricken, and the second allowed Hayden to be charged as a habitual offender under Mississippi Code Annotated Section 99-19-81 (Rev.2007). The habitual-offender amendment alleged that Hayden had two prior felony convictions in which he received sentences of one year or more in a state or federal penitentiary.
¶ 16. At trial, Hayden was represented by attorney Gary Street Goodwin of Columbus. On the first morning of trial, during a break in the voir dire, Hayden gave Goodwin two documents to be produced to the State. One of the documents purported to be a bill of sale, and the other purported to be a certificate of title. Both documents related to a white 2003 GMC Yukon Denali vehicle.
¶ 17. Consistent with the rules of discovery as codified in URCCC 9.04, Goodwin promptly tendered the documents to the State. Out of the presence of the jury, the trial judge discussed the documents with counsel. During the discussion, the trial judge noticed that the VIN on the bill of sale (1GKEK63U73J140390), did not correspond with the VIN on the certificate of title (1GKEK63UX3J238295).
¶ 18. Because a necessary element of proof regarding possession of stolen property concerned whether the defendant knew or should have known that the vehicle was stolen, the State wished to offer the newly-discovered documents into evidence to prove that, because of the discrepancy in the VIN's on these two documents, Hayden knew or should have known that the vehicle was stolen. However, the prosecutor opined that, since Hayden could not be compelled to be a witness against himself, the only witness available to testify concerning the bill of sale and certificate of title was Hayden's lawyer, Goodwin.
¶ 19. The judge called a recess to allow Goodwin to confer with Hayden. When court reconvened, the State served a subpoena on Goodwin. The judge found that Goodwin had a conflict of interest with his client because he "very well may be a witness in this case." Based on this finding, the judge discharged Goodwin and informed Hayden he should retain another attorney. The judge ordered a mistrial and reset the case for trial at the next term of court. By September 28, 2005, Hayden had not retained new counsel, so the trial court appointed Michael Farrow as Hayden's counsel.
¶ 20. Trial thereafter commenced on March 1, 2006. During the trial, the State called Goodwin to testify. However, before Goodwin testified, the judge conferred with the attorneys outside the hearing of the jury, to lay out the ground rules concerning Goodwin's testimony. In essence, the judge ruled that the State could question Goodwin only about the discovery process and the source of the bill of sale and certificate of title.
¶ 21. The direct and cross-examination of Goodwin consumed barely more than eight pages of transcript. During the State's direct examination, Goodwin testified that he previously represented Hayden. He testified about the discovery process in criminal cases, stating that he had made a request for documents in discovery, and that he was obligated, under the rules, to provide documents to the State. Goodwin further stated that, prior to the morning of trial, he had not provided the State with any reciprocal discovery. On the morning of trial, he said, he produced to the State the bill of sale and certificate of title, and he had received the documents from Hayden. In light of this testimony, the two documents were admitted into evidence. Finally, Goodwin testified that the first trial ended in a mistrial.
¶ 22. Hayden's counsel began a cross-examination of Goodwin by asking whether he and Hayden discussed the two documents. When Goodwin refused to answer without a waiver of the attorney-client privilege, the judge sent the jury out and engaged in a lengthy and detailed discussion with counsel and Hayden about the events which led up to Goodwin's testimony. He informed Hayden's counsel that, if questions were asked concerning conversations between Goodwin and Hayden, the attorney-client privilege would be waived. The judge carefully informed Hayden of his rights with respect to the attorney-client privilege. Thereafter, Hayden's counsel informed the court that she had no more questions for Goodwin.
¶ 23. In addition to Goodwin, who was the seventh witness to testify, the State called Jerome Miller, Yvette Worthington, Lisa Duvall, Pamela Lang, Vincent Hughes, Andrew Cotton, and Randy Ginn. Hayden was the only witness to testify in the defendant's case-in-chief, after which the State called Trooper Ginn as a rebuttal witness.
¶ 24. The jury returned a verdict of guilty. Hayden filed a motion for a new trial, which was denied. At the conclusion of the subsequent sentencing hearing, the judge found Hayden was a habitual offender and sentenced him to serve a term of ten years' imprisonment, without parole, in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, and to pay a fine of $10,000. Hayden timely perfected his appeal to this Court.
¶25. Hayden presents two issues for our review: (1) "Whether the trial court erred in denying the appellant the protection of the attorney-client privilege when, after it removed the appellant's retained counsel, it required said counsel to testify against his former client as a witness for the prosecution that the appellant gave him documents introduced by the State;" and (2) "Whether the appellant was denied his fundamental right to counsel guaranteed by the Sixth and Fourteenth- Amendments of the United States Constitution and Article B, Section 26 of the Mississippi Constitution when the trial court removed the appellant's retained counsel."
ANALYSIS
¶26. Hayden's first assignment of error requires that we analyze the trial judge's conduct and Goodwin's testimony for any evidence or indication of a breach of the attorney-client privilege which existed between Goodwin and Hayden.
I. Attorney-Client Privilege
The documents were admissible into evidence.
¶27. We begin by pointing out that the issue before us is not whether the two documents provided by Hayden to Goodwin were properly admitted into evidence at trial. The documents were admissible because they were both relevant and authenticated. Our rules of evidence define relevant evidence as "evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence." Miss. R. Evid. 401. A reasonable juror could certainly conclude that, because Hayden produced the fraudulent documents in discovery, he knew the vehicle was stolen. Thus, the documents clearly were relevant.
¶ 28. The documents were also authenticated. Our rules of evidence state that "[t]he requirements of authentication or identification as a condition precedent to admissibility is satisfied by evidence sufficient to support a finding that the matter in question is what its proponent claims." Miss. R. Evid. 901. Thus, to authenticate the documents, the State had only to show that the documents were what the State claimed them to be, that is, that they were a purported certificate of title and bill of sale which had been produced by Hayden in discovery. Hayden offered no objection to the authenticity of the documents, nor could he have, since he produced them. That the documents were admissible, however, does not address the question of whether the attorney-client privilege was breached when Goodwin testified that he received the documents from Hayden.
Did Goodwin's testimony violate the attorney-client privilege?
¶29. Hayden's counsel, Goodwin, produced the documents to the State; however, this fact, in and of itself, does not prove that Hayden actually knew about them. Goodwin could have gotten the papers anywhere. For the documents to be relevant, the State needed to tie them to Hayden, personally. In other words, only if Hayden was the source of the documents would they tend to prove one of the elements of the crime — that Hayden knew, or reasonably should have known, the Denali was stolen. This analysis in turn leads us to the question of whether Goodwin's testimony identifying Hayden as the source of the documents violated the attorney-client privilege.
¶ BO. Hayden correctly points out that "a confidential communication may be made by acts as well as by words." McCormick, Evidence § 89, 183 (1972). Thus, as a general rule, an attorney's testi mony that he or she received items from the client would violate the attorney-client privilege. However, as with most rules, there are exceptions.
¶81. In Jackson Medical Clinic for Women, P.A. v. Moore, 886 So.2d 767 (Miss.2003), this Court stated that "the privilege relates to and covers all information regarding the client received by the attorney in his professional capacity and in the course of his representation of the client." Id. at 771 (internal citation omitted). However, this Court went on to point out that, "while only the client may invoke the privilege, the client may also waive the privilege in certain circumstances. Once the client has effectively waived the privilege, the attorney is competent as a witness regarding matters otherwise within the scope of the privilege." Id.
¶ 32. The necessity for a waiver of the privilege, however, presupposes that the particular communication to the attorney was privileged to begin with. Many communications from clients to their lawyers are not privileged because they do not meet the confidentiality test of Mississippi Rules of Evidence 502, which states:
A client has a privilege to refuse to disclose and to prevent any other person from disclosing confidential communications made for the purpose of facilitating the rendition of professional legal services to the client....
Miss. R. Evid. 502(b). "A communication is 'confidential ' if not intended to be disclosed to third persons.... " Miss. R. Evid. 502(a)(5). For instance, statements made by a client in the presence of others, with no expectation of confidentiality or privacy, generally are not privileged. Rogers v. State, 928 So.2d 831, 838 (Miss.2006). Nor are statements made by a client to the attorney, which the client intends to be relayed to third persons.
¶33. It is equally true that a client may at first have no expectation of confidentiality or privilege with respect to a particular communication, but later because of the circumstances, wishes the communication to be considered confidential. And where a client clearly communicates this change of mind to the attorney — assuming the information has not already been disseminated, and thus the privilege waived — the attorney must respect the client's wishes and thereafter treat the communication as confidential. This brings us to the facts of this case.
¶ 34. The State argues that "once [the] defendant presented the documents to his counsel for the purpose of being used at trial in his defense he waived [the] privilege with regard to those specific documents." This argument assumes that the subject of Goodwin's testimony was privileged — an assumption with which we do not agree.
¶ 35. Instead, we find that, when Hayden provided the documents to Goodwin, he expressed no intention or expectation that his- act, or the documents themselves, would be considered by Goodwin — or anyone else — to be confidential or privileged. And even though subsequent circumstances may have caused Hayden to change his mind, it was too late because, in three separate places in the record, we find clear evidence that the trial judge already had been provided the documents and had been informed that Hayden was the source.
¶ 36. On the morning Hayden produced the documents to Goodwin, the trial judge noticed the discrepancy in the VINs on the two documents. In discussing the issue with the attorneys, the judge stated: "Mr. Goodwin had three documents that his client had given him, I believe, from recollection this morning."
¶ 37. Later that same morning, following a brief recess, the judge again conferred with the attorneys concerning the documents. During that discussion, the judge stated: "Mr. Goodwin is not at fault for this situation, Mr. Hayden is. He has turned these documents over, and as I've said, Mr. Goodwin was duty-bound by law to do just as he's done."
¶ 38. Months later, during a break in Goodwin's testimony at trial while the jury was out, the trial judge stated:
On the morning of August 17th, 2005, we were preparing to try this case, this very case, and during the process of voir dire there was an indication that Mr. Goodwin had received some documents from his client that he. might offer at trial, and I — I believe I remember that was his exact words.
¶ 39. The trial judge made all three of these statements in the presence of Goodwin, Hayden, and the State. No one objected concerning the judge's statements, and no one indicated that his recollection was inaccurate. Thus, the record clearly indicates that — prior to making any ruling concerning Goodwin — the trial judge already had been informed that Hayden was the source of the two documents. And it is equally clear that the only two persons who could have communicated this information were Hayden and Goodwin. This is compelling evidence that, when Hayden provided the documents to Goodwin, there was no expectation of confidentiality or privilege concerning the documents or the fact that Hayden provided them. To the contrary, it is compelling evidence that Hayden intended the information to be communicated to the court and used in his defense.
¶ 40. A lawyer's representation to the court is binding on the client. Rogers v. Rogers, 662 So.2d 1111, 1115 (Miss.1995) (a lawyer's statement concerning the amount of child support owed by his client considered an admission under the Mississippi Rules of Evidence and was binding on his client); Grand Court of Calanthe v. Downs, 98 Miss. 740, 743, 53 So. 417, 418 (1910) (stating a client is bound "by every act which the attorney does in the regular course of practice.... ").
Did Goodwin reveal confidential information?
¶41. In addressing Hayden's confidentiality argument, we look to Rule 502(d)(1), which clearly and specifically states that there is no privilege where "the services of the lawyer were sought or obtained to enable or aid anyone to commit or plan to commit what the client knew or reasonably should have known to be a crime or fraud."
¶ 42. The fraudulent documents as supplied by Hayden were to be presented to the State, the Court, and the jurors in Hayden's defense. Because Hayden supplied the documents, he clearly meets the "reasonably-should-have-known" test of Rule 502(d)(1). Thus, no privilege existed with respect to the documents, their source, or their content.
¶ 43. In accordance with Uniform Circuit and County Court Rule 9.04(c)(2),
[T]he defendant shall, subject to constitutional limitations, promptly disclose to the prosecutor and permit the prosecutor to inspect, copy, test and photograph the following information and material which corresponds to that which the defendant sought and which is in the possession, custody, or control of the defen dant . (2) Any physical evidence and photographs which the defendant may offer in evidence....
(Emphasis added)
¶44. Hayden exercised his right to seek discovery regarding his case, which generated a reciprocal duty to disclose to the State all documents which he might have offered into evidence at trial. Thus, under such circumstances, documents furnished to an attorney by a client have no confidential status, a prerequisite to a claim of a privilege.
¶ 45. If, as the State might reasonably have argued, Hayden had actual knowledge he was offering false evidence, the case before us is nothing more than an attempt by an accused to use manufactured evidence to avoid incarceration. In offering false evidence, Hayden further attempted to embroil his attorney in his nefarious scheme. Our rules of evidence, including those related to the attorney-client privilege, were promulgated in order to "secure fairness in the administration ., and promotion of growth and development of the law of evidence to the end that the truth may be ascertained and the proceedings justly determined." Miss. R.Evid. 102 (emphasis added).
¶ 46. It appears that the certificate of title and/or the bill of sale which Hayden furnished to his attorney were counterfeit. If this is the case, Hayden's actions were not only a fraud upon the court, but also a crime under Mississippi Code Annotated Section 97-9-125(Rev.2006). Hayden's attorney unwittingly was involved in this fraud/erime, therefore destroying any privilege or confidentiality which arguably might have existed. Thus, neither the documents themselves nor the fact that they were supplied to Goodwin by Hayden, bear a "confidential" label.
Was it improper for Goodwin to testify?
¶47. The issue of whether it is improper for a client's former attorney to testify was not directly raised in this appeal. However, because the issue indirectly influences our decision today, we briefly address it.
¶ 48. Under the facts of this case, we find no impropriety associated with the trial court's requirement that Goodwin testify. With certain limited exceptions, "no person has a privilege to refuse to be a witness." Miss. R. Evid. 501(1). Specifically, the rule states: "Except as otherwise provided by the United States Constitution, the State Constitution, by these rules, or by other rules applicable in the courts of this state to which these rules apply, no person has a privilege to: (1) Refuse to be a witness.... " After diligent search, we are unable to find any constitutional provision or judicial rule which prohibited Goodwin's testimony.
¶ 49. For the reasons stated, we find no merit to Hayden's argument that Goodwin's testimony violated the attorney-client privilege.
II.
¶ 50. Hayden next argues that, by dismissing his attorney, the trial judge violated Hayden's right to counsel guaranteed by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution and Article 3, Section 26 of the Mississippi Constitution. Our standard of review on such constitutional issues is de novo. Baker v. State, 802 So.2d 77, 80 (Miss.2001).
¶ 51. As to this question, Hayden provides us with the appropriate authority, for he tells us in his brief:
From the time of independence from the crown of England, our forefathers and new states legislated and constitu-tionalized the right to counsel. From these early beginnings, the right has been understood to prevent the government from unjustifiably denying an accused the representation of counsel of his choice. In the rare instances where a trial court has deprived an accused of this right, the proper remedy has been a reversal of conviction. and a new trial. "In sum, the right at stake here is the right to counsel of choice . the violation is complete." United States v. Gonzalez-Lopez, [548 U.S. 140,] 126 S.Ct. 2557, 2562[, 165 L.Ed.2d 409] (2006). The violation in this case is a "structural defect" requiring a new trial. Id.
Both the United States Constitution and the Mississippi Constitution guarantee a person accused of a crime due process of law. To accomplish that end, the Sixth Amendment and Article 3 guarantee every criminal defendant the right "to Counsel." U.S. Const, amend. VI, XIV; Miss. Const., Art. 3, Section 26. An important component of this right to counsel is the presumption that citizens may retain counsel of their choice to represent them at trial, especially in a criminal prosecution. See Wheat v. United States, 486 U.S. 153, 159[, 108 S.Ct. 1692, 100 L.Ed.2d 140] (1988). It is understood that a defendant should be allowed "a fair opportunity to secure counsel of his own choice." Powell v. Alabama, 287 U.S. 45, 53[, 53 S.Ct. 55, 77 L.Ed. 158] (1932). While there are exceptions to retained counsel of choice, such as conflicts arising from representation of multiple defendants, courts are aware that "the government may seek to 'manufacture' a conflict in order to prevent a defendant from having a particular able counsel at his side." Wheat, 486 U.S. at 163[, 108 S.Ct. 1692], It is a fundamental principle of our system of justice that the courts are charged with protecting the rights guaranteed by our Constitution. Rose v. Lundy, 455 U.S. 509, 518[, 102 S.Ct. 1198, 71 L.Ed.2d 379] (1982) (citing Ex parte Royall, 177[117] U.S. 241, 251[, 6 S.Ct. 734,29 L.Ed. 868] (1986)).
¶ 52. In essence, after documenting his constitutional right to counsel of his choice, Hayden then recognizes that his right is not unlimited. Although there are numerous exceptions, the one Hayden highlights is a conflict of interest. The trial judge pointed out the conflict of interest created by Hayden's production of the incriminating documents. The general rule is that an attorney may not proceed with the representation of a client with whom the attorney has a conflict of interest. Littlejohn v. State, 593 So.2d 20, 23 (Miss.1992). The existence of the conflict was sufficient for, and in fact required, Goodwin's removal as counsel. We find no evidence or indication that the conflict was "manufactured" in order to deprive Hayden of Goodwin's services.
¶ 53. An exception to the general rule stated above is where the client waives the conflict of interest. In this case, Hayden might very well have proceeded with Goodwin as his attorney, had he waived the conflict of interest. Additionally, he simply could have stipulated to the single fact which required Goodwin's testimony, that is, that the documents were provided by Hayden. Such stipulation would have made Goodwin's testimony unnecessary.
¶ 54. Finally, we carefully have reviewed the record regarding Hayden's rep- reservation following Goodwin's removal. We find no indication that Hayden suffered prejudice by proceeding with his new counsel.
¶ 55. For the reasons stated, Hayden's argument on this point is without merit.
CONCLUSION
¶ 56. For the reasons stated, we find Hayden's two assignments of error to be without merit. Specifically, we find no breach of the attorney-client privilege, and we find that Hayden was not deprived of any constitutional right. Thus, we affirm the judgment of the Circuit Court of Lowndes County.
¶ 57. CONVICTION OF POSSESSION OF STOLEN PROPERTY OVER $500.00 AND SENTENCE OF TEN (10) YEARS IN THE CUSTODY OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AS AN HABITUAL OFFENDER AND PAY A FINE IN THE AMOUNT OF $10,000.00, AFFIRMED. SENTENCE SHALL NOT BE REDUCED NOR SUSPENDED NOR WILL APPELLANT BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE, PROBATION, EARLY RELEASE, GOOD TIME CREDIT, OR ANY WEEKEND OR OTHER TYPE PASS.
SMITH, C.J., EASLEY, RANDOLPH AND LAMAR, JJ., CONCUR. RANDOLPH, J., SPECIALLY CONCURS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION, JOINED BY SMITH, C. J., DICKINSON AND LAMAR, JJ. CARLSON, J., DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED BY WALLER AND DIAZ, P JJ., AND IN PART BY GRAVES, J. GRAVES, J., DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED BY DIAZ, P.J., AND IN PART BY WALLER, P.J. AND CARLSON, J.
. At the time of the crime, the white Yukon was assigned to Royal's employee, Yvette Worthington, as a demonstrator.
. Herrin-Gear employee Vincent Hughes would later testify at Hayden's trial that "we don't sell GMC Denalis."
. Harris's address was listed on the title application as 186 Lehmberg Rd., Apt. 1A, Columbus, MS 39702. Mississippi Highway Patrol Investigator Randy Ginn would later testify at Hayden's trial that he diligently searched for Harris, but to no avail.
.Lang testified the reason she remembered Hayden and this particular transaction was because "anytime somebody buys a 40, $50,000 vehicle with no lienholder, I mean, you just — you're just suspicious, I guess," especially when the person is young.
. The owner on the certificate of title was listed as Robert Watson, and the signature on the back of the certificate of title indicated that the seller was Robert Watson.
. Trooper Ginn later attempted to locate Watson, to no avail.
.Yvette Worthington, the Royal employee who was driving this vehicle as a demonstrator at the time it was stolen, would later testify at Hayden's trial that the original VIN for this vehicle was 1GKEK63U73J140390.
. The trial court found the stricken language to be surplusage, and not an element of the offense which the State was required to prove pursuant to the statute.
. Although Mr. Goodwin was one of several public defenders for Lowndes County, he was retained as counsel in this case by Hayden.
. After the appeal was perfected, Justice Randolph entered a single-justice order on behalf of the Court, granting Hayden's motion for appointment of special counsel. This order provided, inter alia, that Dennie B. Ma-yhone and Kara Lynn Lincoln, law students at the University of Mississippi School of Law participating in the Criminal Appeals Clinic, were specially appointed as counsel; and, that Phillip W. Broadhead, Clinical Professor and Director of the Criminal Appeals Clinic was appointed as an attorney of record. Hayden's trial counsel, Michael R. Farrow, is also an attorney of record for Hayden in this appeal.
. For example, a client who tells her lawyer that she is sick and cannot be in court, certainly has no claim that the communication is privileged.
. The pertinent sections of Mississippi Code Annotated Section 97-9-125 state: "(1) A person commits the crime of tampering with physical evidence if, believing that an official proceeding is pending or may be instituted, and acting without legal right or authority, he: . (b) Knowingly makes, presents or offers any false physical evidence with intent that it be introduced in the pending or prospective official proceeding.... (2) Tampering with physical evidence is a Class 2 felony."