Opinion ID: 2161601
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 31

Heading: Denial of Effective Assistance of Counsel at Sentencing

Text: On February 3, 1984, some two and one half months before trial, while the court was preparing to hear a motion filed by Grandison, the court observed that Grandison intended to represent himself. Accordingly, the court proceeded to conduct a hearing to satisfy itself that Grandison knew he had a right to counsel and was knowingly and voluntarily waiving that right. See former Md. Rule 723 c, now 4-215(b). [24] During the course of the colloquy with Grandison, the trial judge pointed out the advantages of having a lawyer to assist at trial and sentencing. Grandison advised the judge he understood, but that he had never waived his right to counsel; he stated he wanted standby counsel who the judge told him would be furnished. Being satisfied that Grandison understood his right to counsel and chose to represent himself, the court made a finding that Grandison had made an intelligent and intentional waiver of his right to an attorney. There the matter rested until after the guilt or innocence phase of the trial had passed. On May 28, 1984, the parties appeared in court for a hearing on Grandison's motion for a new trial and sentencing. It was brought to the trial judge's attention that Grandison and his standby counsel had agreed, after the guilty verdict, that standby counsel would handle the sentencing. Grandison maintained that he was entitled to change his mind about representation because the case actually was two separate trials. The trial judge disagreed with this contention. Nevertheless, because neither Grandison nor standby counsel was prepared to proceed to sentencing, the court allowed an eight day postponement, which was satisfactory to Grandison. Thereafter, a sentencing proceeding was had in front of a jury wherein Grandison himself produced witnesses and allocuted; the jury imposed the death penalty. Grandison argues here that as the sentencing proceeding was a matter separate from the guilt or innocence proceeding, he was entitled to counsel. He recognizes that he had previously effectively waived counsel but contends that waiver did not prevent him from having counsel for sentencing under the rationale of Faretta v. California, 422 U.S. 806, 95 S.Ct. 2525, 45 L.Ed.2d 562 (1975). We find nothing in Faretta which supports Grandison's argument. That case stands for the principle that the State may not force an attorney on an accused who has knowingly and intelligently made a voluntary election to represent himself, which he has a right to do. Grandison also maintains that any prior waiver cannot be held to operate to deny him the right to counsel at a subsequent separate proceeding. He relies on former Md. Rule 723, [25] which he argues mandates readvisement (of right to counsel) at every separate proceeding; his reliance is misplaced. Section d 2 of Rule 723 provides: If the defendant appears in court without counsel, at any proceeding after his appearance pursuant to section a of this Rule, the court may not proceed before determining whether the defendant at that time desires to waive counsel, or has waived counsel, either affirmatively or by neglecting or refusing to obtain counsel.  (emphasis added). This language is clear and unambiguous; it states no prohibition to proceeding when there has been an affirmative waiver of counsel as here.