Opinion ID: 1149417
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: denial bevill's right to participate in his own defense

Text: Bevill claims he was denied his Constitutional right under Article 3, § 26 to conduct his own defense. Section 26. In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall have a right to be heard by himself or counsel, or both ... We reject the first instance he claims because the record does not support his contention. The second instance occurred when the court announced, Counsel for the Defendant may make an opening statement. Then, without having notified either the court or opposing counsel of any intent to do so, Bevill stated, Ladies and gentlemen ..., preparatory to making an opening statement. In fact, Bevill's counsel, just previous to both sides making their opening statement, had in chambers led the circuit judge to believe that he, counsel, was going to make the statement. Bevill's conduct obviously caught the circuit judge by surprise. The circuit judge had not been forewarned, and had not been given an opportunity to advise the defendant of his right as well as personal responsibility and duty to the court in event he chose to personally conduct his defense. We must hold that it was error for the court not to permit Bevill himself to make an opening statement. Trunnell v. State, 487 So.2d 820, 825-826 (Miss. 1986). It must also be recognized that a circuit judge is charged with conducting a decorous, orderly trial, and protecting an accused's rights. A defense attorney who is made aware by his client that he wishes to personally conduct his own defense has an obligation first to fully advise his client his Constitutional right, and also the responsibility and risk entailed. Defense counsel also has an obligation, as an officer of the court, to inform the circuit judge prior to exercise of the right, of his client's desire to do so. This is a fundamental ethical obligation of the defense counsel, in order to give the circuit judge an opportunity to instruct as well as warn the defendant outside the presence of the jury of his rights and responsibility. The circuit judge can then generally inform the accused of the civility that will be required of him in his remarks, conduct, and statements made to the court, jury, witnesses and opposing counsel, and what he should do in event of objections and rulings by the court. For any litigant to act as his own lawyer is unusual, and when the circuit judge is notified of such intent, the court is required to proceed cautiously in seeing that the accused is afforded his constitutional rights, and at the same time that the trial proceedings are civilized and decorous. Also, in this case, because Bevill chose to make an opening statement, it would have been important for the court to warn him that if he stated facts which only he could support, and then later did not take the witness stand himself, the State would be free to comment upon the fact that no such statement was made by him as a witness under oath. Jones v. State, 381 So.2d 983, 994 (Miss. 1980). An accused who does not intend to testify himself under oath cannot be permitted, any more than any other litigant, to have the jury consider as evidence any statements of fact not subject to rigorous cross-examination of the witness under oath.