Opinion ID: 2486429
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: McCRAY's Request During the Competency Hearing

Text: McCRAY first alleges the trial court failed to conduct an inquiry pursuant to Faretta after he made a request for self-representation prior to the start of his third competency hearing. Before the competency hearing could begin, McCRAY, who was represented by counsel at the time, personally objected to the State's commentary. The trial judge warned McCRAY not to object while represented by counsel, but McCRAY refused to accept the judge's command and explained that he wished to represent himself along with counsel. The trial judge rebuffed McCRAY's request, stating that he would not permit hybrid representation. However, McCRAY became increasingly adamant about this request and continued to interrupt the proceedings. Consequently, the trial judge had McCRAY removed from the courtroom. A reading of the record demonstrates that McCRAY's first challenged request was not a request to proceed without counsel, but an equivocal request for hybrid representation whereby both he and his appointed counsel would be simultaneously permitted to try the case. While it certainly would have been in the trial court's discretion to allow such a practice, McCRAY does not have a constitutional right to combine self-representation with representation by counsel or engage in any type of hybrid representation. See Mora v. State, 814 So.2d 322, 328 (Fla.2002); see also Logan v. State, 846 So.2d 472, 475 (Fla.2003) ([T]he defendant, under appropriate circumstances, has the constitutional right to waive counsel and represent himself. The defendant has no right, however, to partially represent himself and, at the same time, be partially represented by counsel. (quoting Sheppard v. State, 391 So.2d 346, 347 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980))). Accordingly, the trial court did not in err in failing to conduct a Faretta inquiry.