Opinion ID: 2648240
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Contact with lawyers prior to trial

Text: As the district court had reason to know, attorney Manchel represented Harris up until the pro se motion on the first day of trial, from November 5, 2009, until May 12, 2011. This representation likely exposed Harris to the complexity of his case and the legal process. See Fitzpatrick, 800 F.2d at 1066. In Fitzpatrick, this factor favored a valid waiver when a defendant “had significant contact” with an attorney before trial, even though he never actually retained counsel. Id. (“Through this contact, [Defendant] must have recognized that his case was more complex than he originally thought.”). Because of Harris’s lengthy pre-trial relationship with his court-appointed attorney, this factor weighs in favor of a valid waiver. 3. Knowledge of the nature of the charges, possible defenses, and penalties 23 Case: 12-11126 Date Filed: 01/06/2014 Page: 24 of 44 When he moved to represent himself, Harris was abundantly aware of the seriousness and complexity of the charges, which were part of a prosecution that had engulfed nearly four years of his life. Harris’s business background, including his prior involvement in a similar scheme, exposed him to the complexity of a securities fraud case. In fact, Harris had just heard the Government’s opening statement, which laid out the nature of the charges against him. And during the court’s second colloquy concerning Harris’s decision to represent himself, Harris indicated that the charges had severely impacted his life “[f]or the past four and a half years,” because “my family and I went through living Cain and my name’s crap.” During that exchange, the court also expressly informed Harris that he faced a maximum of 160 years in prison and could be forced to pay millions of dollars. Harris showed no surprise at hearing the severity of the charges, and in no way indicated that the possible penalties undermined his decision to continue pro se. His ultimate decision to abscond during the twilight of the trial also strongly suggests that Harris was well aware of the consequences he faced. Because the record amply shows Harris was aware of the seriousness and complexity of the charges, this factor also indicates a valid waiver. 4. Understanding of rules of procedure, evidence and courtroom decorum Harris appears to have had a limited legal background, but the district court granted his request that attorney Manchel be made available as standby counsel for 24 Case: 12-11126 Date Filed: 01/06/2014 Page: 25 of 44 technical and procedural questions. “[T]echnical legal knowledge . . . [is] not relevant to an assessment of [a defendant’s] knowing exercise of the right to defend himself.” Faretta, 422 U.S. at 835. Instead, the fourth factor favors a valid waiver when a defendant “understood that rules do exist to govern the procedure of a trial, the introduction of evidence and the behavior of advocates and . . . that he would be bound by those rules.” Kimball, 291 F.3d at 731. By all accounts, Harris acquitted himself well as an advocate during trial -- like in Fitzpatrick, “he generally knew how to handle himself in court.” 800 F.2d at 1067. Harris made evidentiary objections, examined witnesses, distinguished Government case law, invoked the rule of sequestration, and argued motions, including a motion in limine and a Rule 29 motion. All indications are that Harris, with Mandel’s assistance, performed adequately at trial, which also suggests a valid waiver. 5. Experience in criminal trials Harris had no criminal trial experience. While this weighs against recognizing a waiver as valid, it is far from dispositive, as a number of cases in this Circuit have held a waiver to be knowing and voluntary in the absence of past trial history. See Jones v. Walker, 540 F.3d 1277, 1295 (11th Cir. 2008); Fitzpatrick, 800 F.2d at 1067. “All factors need not point in the same direction.” Cash, 47 F.3d at 1089. 6. Appointment of and assistance from standby counsel 25 Case: 12-11126 Date Filed: 01/06/2014 Page: 26 of 44 After representing the defendant in this very case for an extended period of time, Manchel served as standby counsel and assisted with technical legal issues and procedural matters throughout the trial. Indeed, Harris admits that Manchel “had taken an active role as standby counsel, including making objections for Mr. Harris, submitting charges on his behalf, procuring and interviewing witnesses, asking for bench warrants, and interceding with the court.” Appellant Harris’s Br. 22-23. Manchel’s availability and performance as standby counsel weighs in favor of voluntariness. 7. Mistreatment or coercion Harris does not argue that he was subject to any coercion or mistreatment in waiving his right to counsel. 8. Efforts to manipulate the events of the trial Finally, and especially important in this case, Harris attempted to delay and manipulate the trial proceedings, making clear that he understood the palpable risks he faced. See Fitzpatrick, 800 F.2d at 1067 (“[Defendant] manipulated the proceedings, the trial court and his numerous attorneys in an attempt to delay as long as possible having to answer the charges against him.”). Harris waited until the day of trial, and until after the jury had already heard the prosecutor’s opening statement, to broach the topic of pro se representation. But his most glaring effort at manipulation was his flight to Utah -- after the Government had rested its case- 26 Case: 12-11126 Date Filed: 01/06/2014 Page: 27 of 44 in-chief and notably after his Rule 29 motion had been denied -- which delayed trial for a day and generated many of the grounds for this appeal. Seven out of the eight Fitzpatrick factors -- all except Harris’s criminal trial experience -- strongly suggest his waiver was knowing and intelligent. Though the question is rendered somewhat more difficult by the delayed colloquy, after reviewing the entire record we are confident and hold that the district court did not violate Harris’s right to counsel by allowing him to represent himself. 3