Opinion ID: 2586480
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Asserted reliance on the trial court's misadvisement

Text: Defendant claims that, on April 15, 1996, he waived his Faretta rights and agreed to Peters's appointment in reliance on the trial court's misadvisement, at the August 12, 1994, hearing on defendant's Marsden and Faretta motions (see, ante, at p. 277), that he could decide what defense theory counsel would present. (6) That the court misadvised defendant is clear. A defendant does not have the right to present a defense of his own choosing, but merely the right to an adequate and competent defense. ( People v. Welch (1999) 20 Cal.4th 701, 728 [85 Cal.Rptr.2d 203, 976 P.2d 754], citing People v. Hamilton, supra, 48 Cal.3d 1142, 1162.) An exception to this general rule is that defense counsel's traditional authority to control the conduct of the case does not include the authority to withhold the presentation of any defense at the guilt phase if the defendant openly and unequivocally expresses his desire to present a defense and if there exists some credible evidence to support it. ( People v. Burton (1989) 48 Cal.3d 843, 856 [258 Cal.Rptr. 184, 771 P.2d 1270], citing People v. Frierson (1985) 39 Cal.3d 803, 812, 817-818 [218 Cal.Rptr. 73, 705 P.2d 396] (plur. opn. of Kaus, J.).) Counsel, however, is not obligated to present a defense that lacks credible evidentiary support. ( Burton, supra, 48 Cal.3d at p. 857.) Here, defendant fails to show that he actually relied on the court's misadvisement in relinquishing his right to self-representation on April 15, 1996. As recounted above, two months after the court's misadvisement, during a discovery hearing held on October 21, 1994, the court effectively corrected itself when it agreed with defendant that his appointed counsel could pursue a separate defense strategy, even over defendant's objections. Nothing in the later record contradicts the substance of the October 21, 1994, exchange. Moreover, even if defendant at some point actually relied on the court's earlier misstatement that he could insist counsel present a particular defense in relinquishing his Faretta right, reversal would not be required because, as stated in the preceding part, any error by the trial court in accepting his waiver of his right to self-representation was cured when defendant withdrew his Faretta motion during the proceedings that followed the November 13, 1996, competency hearing and stated Peters could determine the defense.