Court Opinion

ID: 9573473
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:55:50.807381+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:41:16.326341
License: Public Domain

Connor T. Hansen, J.

(concurring in part; dissenting in part).

The majority of this court would reverse and remand for a new trial. It is concluded reversal is dictated because the information contained allegations of the defendant’s prior criminal record for the purposes of raising the issue under sec. 939.62, Stats., Increased penalty for habitual criminality, and the trial court read the entire information to the jury shortly after it was *479impanelled. This reading of the information included the details set forth therein concerning the prior criminal record of the defendant. I would agree with the majority. It was prejudicial error to present this information to the jury at this time and under these circumstances, as the majority concludes, a reversal and a new trial is commanded.
However, once having disposed of this appeal Toy ordering a new trial, the majority then proceeds to consider an issue which is no longer in the case and, in my opinion, not relevant to a new trial.
At the time of sentencing, the trial court denied a motion of the defendant to substitute attorneys. The majority of the court holds this to be prejudicial error. This writer respectfully dissents from this determination. In the first place, because of the decision to reverse and remand for a new trial, it is absolutely unnecessary to reach the issue. Secondly, if the issue were to be reached, under the facts of this case, I would not hold it to be prejudicial error. In support of his decision not to grant the motion for substitution of counsel, the trial judge stated that no one:
“. . . is in a better position to argue on the merits of the case as far as disposition than the attorney who sits in the trial of the matter and has for some period of time acted in preparation for the trial of the matter and is aware of the problems, the pluses and minuses inherent in his client.”
The majority finds the trial judge abused his discretion in denial of the motion for substitution of counsel and, therefore, committed prejudicial error. On the basis of the record before us, if it were necessary to reach this issue, and I submit it is not, this writer would find the trial court properly exercised his judicial discretion and did not commit prejudicial error.
*480I am authorized, to state that Mr. Justice Robert W. Hansen joins in this opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part.