Opinion ID: 1129349
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: Inadequate Faretta Inquiry

Text: Lamarca's claim that the trial court erred in allowing him to represent himself during the penalty phase is also without merit. The trial court followed the requirements of Faretta v. California, 422 U.S. 806, 95 S.Ct. 2525, 45 L.Ed.2d 562 (1975), when deciding that Lamarca was competent to represent himself. The fact that Lamarca made an inappropriate or unwise statement to the jury does not negate the trial court's determination. The uncontroverted testimony at the postconviction hearing as well as the evidence presented at trial support the trial court's finding. In Faretta, the United States Supreme Court recognized that the Sixth Amendment grants to each criminal defendant the right of self-representation, regardless of consequences. State v. Bowen, 698 So.2d 248, 250 (Fla.1997). Nevertheless, because the consequences can be severe, trial courts are required to make the defendant aware of the dangers and disadvantages of self-representation, so that the record will establish that `[the defendant] knows what he is doing and that his choice is made with his eyes wide open.' Hernandez-Alberto v. State, 889 So.2d 721, 729 (Fla.2004) (quoting Faretta, 422 U.S. at 835, 95 S.Ct. 2525). When the trial transcript reveals that the defendant is literate, competent, and understanding and has been apprised of his rights, this Court will uphold the inquiry. Smith v. State, 407 So.2d 894, 900 (Fla.1981) (quoting Faretta, 422 U.S. at 835, 95 S.Ct. 2525); see also Weaver v. State, 894 So.2d 178, 192 (Fla.2004) (recognizing that [a] trial court may not impose counsel on a `literate, competent, and understanding' defendant who has voluntarily waived his right to counsel). The penalty phase transcript reveals that these requirements were met in Lamarca's case. The trial judge informed Lamarca that he would be at a great disadvantage because he did not have the legal training of the state attorney, and on numerous occasions the judge expressed his disapproval of Lamarca's decision. The judge questioned Lamarca about his prior experience in the criminal justice system, recognizing that he had participated in two jury trials prior to this penalty phase, and the judge also considered Lamarca's mental condition, noting that his interactions with Lamarca during the many stages of trial indicated that Lamarca was intelligent and competent. In the end, the trial judge found that Lamarca was intelligent and that he had knowingly and voluntarily asserted his right to represent himself. Moreover, Lamarca presented no competent evidence to refute this finding. The statement Lamarca relies on to assert his claim of incompetence was part of a concise, well-articulated speech in which Lamarca declared that the jury wrongly convicted him. The fact that this argument was not wise legal strategy in the penalty phase does not support Lamarca's claim that the Faretta inquiry was invalid. See Weaver, 894 So.2d at 193 (recognizing that the purpose behind the Faretta inquiry is to determine whether the defendant is competent to waive his right to counsel, not whether [the defendant] is competent to provide an adequate defense). Furthermore, Lamarca's competence was an issue in a number of claims raised at the evidentiary hearing upon postconviction review. None of the evidence presented at this hearing supports Lamarca's claim that he was incompetent or suicidal at trial. In fact, even Dr. Caddy, the expert who testified on Lamarca's behalf at the evidentiary hearing, contradicted Lamarca's assertion that he was suicidal. Dr. Caddy testified that Lamarca's PTSD and prior prison experience created in him a fierce instinct to protect himself and control the situation. He specifically stated: Mr. Lamarca did not want to die. He didn't want to die then, and over the last number of years he hasn't wanted to die either, but he felt his only vehicle to assert his sense of strength and ego was to do something. Lamarca has not established that the trial court erred in allowing him to represent himself during the penalty phase.