Opinion ID: 2124187
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Adherence to Defendant's Wishes by Court and Defense Attorney

Text: Defense counsel complied with defendant's instructions. For example, when defense counsel sought to take positions as to whether certain evidence should be admissible or regarding proposed jury charges, he told the trial court that defendant did not permit him to take positions and no positions were taken. Additionally, the trial court felt bound to enforce defendant's instructions and, on numerous occasions, did enforce the instructions. At one point, the trial court stated, Mr. Henriquez, I am respecting your right to restrict your attorney in the way he defends you. Moreover, the trial court repeatedly acknowledged during the trial that defendant was represented by counsel. As a consequence of the trial court's and defense counsel's compliance with defendant's instructions, the People's case proceeded unchallenged. Defense counsel did not respond to the People's opening statement, did not make any objections, cross-examine the People's witnesses, make any oral motions at the close of the People's case, put on a case, make a closing statement or provide any input regarding proposed jury charges because defendant did not want him to. The trial court allowed defendant's instructions to control and allowed defense counsel not to do anything on defendant's behalf. The end result is that the actions, and lack thereof, of the trial court and defense counsel deprived defendant of his constitutional right to a fair trial because the instant trial was devoid of the adversarial process, in violation of the United States and New York State Constitutions. Moreover, defendant was deprived of his constitutional right to assistance of counsel.