Court Opinion

ID: 9466358
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 01:13:18.550216+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:39:41.375509
License: Public Domain

FEINBERG, Circuit Judge
(concurring in the result):
I concur in the result for the reasons stated in Judge Friendly’s opinion. I also note that this case is clearly distinguishable from United States v. DuShane, 435 F.2d 187 (2d Cir. 1970). In that case we held that when a defendant was not represented by counsel in an earlier state court proceeding, a federal court was not justified in presuming a waiver of the right to counsel when the sole evidence supporting such a finding consisted of (1) affidavits of a deputy clerk and the state prosecutor stating that the state court judge customarily appointed counsel to defendants who desired, but could not afford, an attorney; and (2) the state statutory requirement that counsel be appointed in such cases. Here, in contrast, there is no evidence conclusively showing that defendant was not represented by counsel, and his naked assertion that he was deprived of his Sixth Amendment right to counsel is countered by a document signed by the trial judge specifically stating that the defendant was assigned counsel.