Court Opinion

ID: 9576147
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:21:15.403642+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:00:32.765851
License: Public Domain

Bowles, Justice,
concurring.
In addition to the other reasons stated by the majority for establishing the rule today pronounced, I add this comment. No two defendants share equal responsibility for a crime. Usually one is more culpable than the other or for any number of reasons has a greater degree of responsibility for what occurred. One may also be more entitled to leniency based on such factors as age, intelligence, motive, background, previous conduct or record, etc. Common counsel eliminates any practical possibility of plea bargaining. In these cases life itself is at stake and the built-in conflict which arises from representing co-defendants cannot be resolved by waiver.