Opinion ID: 863607
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 27

Heading: whether the trial court erred in permitting defense counsel to waive edwards' right to be present at the suppression hearing?

Text: ś 89. Edward contends as his next assignment of error that the trial judge improperly allowed the defense attorney to waive Edwards' presence at the suppression hearing on February 11, 1997. ś 90. It is true that no important proceeding of a criminal trial may be held without the presence of the defendant or his counsel. Strickland v. State, 477 So.2d 1347, 1349 (Miss.1985); Allen v. State, 384 So.2d 605, 607 (Miss.1980). However, [b]oth need not be present; where the defendant is represented by counsel, the attorney may represent the defendant at any critical stage in the proceedings, and the defendant's absence will not violate his constitutional rights. Carr v. State, 655 So.2d 824, 850-51 (Miss.1995) ( quoting Samuels v. State, 567 So.2d 843, 845 (Miss.1990)). ś 91. An exception to this general rule is where the presence of the defendant is necessary to prevent prejudice to him. Carr v. State, 655 So.2d at 850 ( quoting Samuels, 567 So.2d at 845). ś 92. Although it is implicit in the present case that Edwards knew of the hearing, there needs to be documentation in the record of a defendant's knowledge or that a defendant has been advised of a hearing conducted outside of his presence. In the case sub judice Edwards' counsel made the waiver and furthermore, Edwards raised no example of prejudice that he suffered as a result of not being present at this suppression hearing. He has not asserted that he could have interjected additional information which would have resulted in different results in those proceedings, nor has he indicated, in any way, that consultation with his counsel during those proceedings would have been beneficial. Since Edwards was represented adequately by defense counsel at these proceedings, and since he has not demonstrated prejudice resulting from his absence, this Court finds this assertion to be without merit.