Opinion ID: 590960
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Lack of Due Process for refusal to grant continuance for new counsel

Text: 28 [T]he right to counsel is a shield, not a sword. A defendant has no right to manipulate his right for the purpose of delaying and disrupting the trial. Additionally, it is well settled that a criminal defendant does not have the absolute right to counsel of his own choosing. Instead, [s]ubstitution of counsel is a matter committed to the sound discretion of the trial court. 29 Meyer v. Sargent, 854 F.2d 1110, 1113-14 (8th Cir.1988) (citations omitted). 30 The day before the trial Neal attempted to substitute counsel of his choosing for his court appointed attorney. Due to the nature of defendant's comments at his plea concerning his counsel's performance and the overall effectiveness of counsel, we hold that Neal was attempting to use the Sixth Amendment as a sword to delay the proceedings against him, contrary to the intent of the Sixth Amendment. 31 For these reasons, we affirm.