Opinion ID: 598785
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Toney's right to represent himself at trial.

Text: 6 Toney contends that the district court denied Toney his right to represent himself at trial. To preserve his right to proceed pro se, a defendant must make a timely and unequivocal request for self-representation. United States v. Schaff, 948 F.2d 501, 503 (9th Cir.1991); United States v. Smith, 780 F.2d 810, 811 (9th Cir.1986). Toney's request was neither unequivocal nor timely. At most, Toney's utterances regarding proceeding without counsel constituted vague inquiries. Jackson v. Ylst, 921 F.2d 882, 888-89 (9th Cir.1990). Toney did not voice his concerns about the quality of his counsel's representation until the second day of the jury trial. Schaff, 948 F.2d at 503 (citing Smith, 780 F.2d at 811, and Jackson, 921 F.2d at 888). The district court did not err in declining to extend to Toney, after the jury was impaneled and the trial underway, an opportunity to represent himself. 7