Opinion ID: 1312308
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Concealment of Self-representation Request

Text: (13b) Defendant next contends counsel purposefully frustrated his desire to proceed in propria persona by failing promptly to inform the court that defendant wanted to represent himself. Defendant argues that counsel's delay resulted in the denial of defendant's Faretta motion as untimely. We reject this argument because it fails to show any malfeasance by counsel, nor does it indicate counsel behaved in a manner less than diligent and conscientious. ( Pope, supra, 23 Cal.3d 412.) Indeed, defendant's March 12 letter is unclear whether he actually told his counsel he wanted to represent himself. Counsel is certainly entitled to state his opinion to his client about the success of a contemplated motion. We refuse to second-guess counsel's response in the context of defendant's March 12 letter because we believe defendant's contention does not indicate that counsel's response was unreasonable in any regard. ( Fosselman, supra, 33 Cal.3d at p. 584; Pope, supra, 23 Cal.3d at pp. 423-425.)