Opinion ID: 1188889
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Trial court's refusal to allow advisory counsel to conduct the direct examination of Defendant's psychologist

Text: Defendant's primary defense was that he suffered from a type of organic personality disorder called the psychotic trigger reaction syndrome. Immediately before Defendant's psychological expert was to testify concerning this theory, Defendant told the court he was unprepared to conduct the direct examination and asked the court to allow advisory counsel to conduct it instead. The prosecutor had no objection. However, the judge stated, Case law provides that you can't have hybrid counsel ... and I'm not going to let that occur in this case. Hybrid counsel is concurrent representation by both defendant and counsel. Advisory counsel had previously stated, Your honor, I am dangerously close to becoming a hybrid counsel, which is disfavored in this state. The judge refused to grant the request unless Defendant withdrew his waiver of counsel permanently and allowed advisory counsel to conduct the rest of the trial. Defendant reluctantly chose to continue to represent himself, and proceeded to conduct the direct examination of the psychologist, Dr. McMahon. Defendant now argues that because more skill is required to properly examine an expert than other witnesses and because the prosecutor had no objection, the court's refusal violated Defendant's rights to due process and assistance of counsel under the United States and Arizona Constitutions. Arizona does not recognize a constitutional right to hybrid representation. State v. Cook, 170 Ariz. 40, 48, 821 P.2d 731, 739 (1991), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 113 S.Ct. 137, 121 L.Ed.2d 90 (1992); State v. Rickman, 148 Ariz. 499, 504, 715 P.2d 752, 757 (1986). Most jurisdictions follow a similar rule. See Accused's Right to Represent Himself, 98 A.L.R.3D at 25. We think, however, that the statements made at trial may reflect a misunderstanding of the law on this point. Neither our cases nor any applicable law prohibits hybrid counsel. Rather, we have merely held that it is not a constitutional right. Cf. State v. Stevens, 311 Or. 119, 806 P.2d 92, 97 (1991) (accused has no right to hybrid counsel but court may permit in its discretion); Bradberry v. State, 266 Ind. 530, 364 N.E.2d 1183, 1187 (1977) (citing United States v. Gaines, 416 F. Supp. 1047 (N.D.Ind. 1976)) (same); Scarbrough v. State, 777 S.W.2d 83, 92 (Tex. Crim. App. 1989) (same). We have never forbidden courts to allow a defendant to act as co-counsel, and some Arizona courts have done so. See, e.g., State v. Cannon, 127 Ariz. 147, 148-49, 618 P.2d 641, 642-43 (Ct. App. 1980); see also United States v. Aponte, 591 F.2d 1247, 1248 (9th Cir.1978). Whether to allow such hybrid representation remains within the sound discretion of the trial judge. Evans, 534 F. Supp. at 797 n. 9. Thus, the judge in this case could have allowed advisory counsel to examine this crucial witness. [2] Nevertheless, the question raised here is not whether Defendant should have been allowed to act as co-counsel throughout trial but whether the judge improperly prevented Defendant from reinvoking his right to counsel in this instance. The Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure provide for waiver of counsel and the withdrawal of such a waiver. See Ariz.R.Crim.P. 6.1(c) and (e). Defendant correctly pointed out during trial that these rules do not explicitly limit how many times a defendant may switch between representation by counsel and self-representation. However, the judge in this case did not deny Defendant the right to withdraw his waiver of counsel. He clearly told Defendant: You ... have the right to withdraw the waiver at any time, and I accept that. And if you want to do that, fine. But at this point if you want to do that, then Mr. Avilla is your lawyer. I'm not going to let you go back and forth. Thus, what was at issue here was not Defendant's assertion of his right to counsel but, rather, his ability to make that assertion contingent on subsequently being able to reinvoke his pro per status. A defendant's right to discharge counsel and proceed in propria persona is a qualified right once trial has begun. State v. Strickland, 27 Ariz. App. 695, 698, 558 P.2d 723, 726 (1976). Defendant has the right to ask that counsel be appointed to represent him midway through the trial, but the court need not stop the trial for the convenience of the defendant each time he changes his mind. State v. DeLuna, 110 Ariz. 497, 502, 520 P.2d 1121, 1126 (1974). Other jurisdictions follow the same rule. [I]t is uniformly held that all motions [for pro per status] made after jury selection has begun are untimely, and thereafter the decision to grant such a motion rests within the sound discretion of the trial court. Accused's Right to Represent Himself, 98 A.L.R.3D at 22; see also Jackson v. Ylst, 921 F.2d 882 (9th Cir.1990); De Nistor, 143 Ariz. at 412-13, 694 P.2d at 242-43. Denial of a defendant's untimely motion is not an abuse of discretion. Accused's Right to Represent Himself, 98 A.L.R.3D at 22. Thus, once Defendant invoked his right to counsel, it was within the judge's discretion not to allow him to switch back. Under these circumstances, warning Defendant in advance that the court would not allow further switching was proper. Defendant was given the opportunity to have counsel under these terms but chose not to do so. The judge's ruling was therefore not an abuse of discretion.