Opinion ID: 1172050
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: The Burgess Matter.

Text: (16) Defendant Burgess was represented by counsel and pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge. He was placed on formal probation for three years. Many months later, the probation department petitioned for revocation of probation based on Burgess's subsequent criminal convictions. Burgess appeared in Judge Ryan's chambers for the revocation-of-probation proceedings. There was no court reporter present. The judge asked Burgess if he wanted an attorney. Burgess said that he did. The minute order indicates that Judge Ryan then appointed a public defender to represent Burgess. However, without waiting for appointed counsel to arrive, the judge asked Burgess if he had done the acts alleged in the petition to revoke parole. Burgess admitted that he had. The judge then turned to the probation officer, who was present at the hearing, and directed her to prepare a report and have it ready for Burgess's sentencing. With that, the hearing was concluded. The masters and the Commission both determined that Judge Ryan's conduct was prejudicial. Although there is conflicting testimony in the record as to whether Burgess actually requested counsel, the masters found that he did make such a request. We defer to the masters' finding of fact on this question. ( Gubler v. Commission on Judicial Performance, supra, 37 Cal.3d 27, 34.) Thus, we conclude that the judge ignored Burgess's request for counsel and continued to extract a confession from him. Although there is no evidence of bad faith, the judge's conduct was prejudicial.