Court Opinion

ID: 9735485
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 18:18:28.992275+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:59.161401
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion
Jackson, J.
I am unable to agree with the conclusions and result reached by the majority and dissent thereto.
Appellant was and is now represented by pauper counsel, both appointed by the trial court, one for trial and one for appeal. The record before us discloses without question that appellant has suffered from lack of adequate representation which in turn has deprived him of his constitutional rights.
The State in the appellee’s brief relies heavily on the “doctrine of waiver” asserting that appellant failed to comply with certain rules of this Court, failed to object to the admission of certain testimony, etc. and that he thereby “waived” objection thereto. The statute, § 2-1714 Burns’ 1968 Replacement, relates to the competency of witnesses under age 10 and the State in its brief and the majority in the opinion lay stress on the “waiver” by the appellant in not objecting to the testimony of a witness or moving to strike the same. I concede it is possible for all such waivers to occur in trials.
I am also convinced, that too often pauper counsel is appointed from attorneys too young and inexperienced, too elderly, or perhaps too much obligated to the appointing court to afford their pauper client adequate and meaningful representation.1 The doctrine of fairness and the duty of dispensing even handed justice in such cases falls by the wayside.
This cause should either be dismissed in order that a belated appeal may be perfected, or the Court, sua sponte, should order the cause remanded and a new trial granted appellant.
*298Ramsey Clark, former Attorney General of the United States, has an article in the Saturday Review of September 19, 1970, entitled “Criminal Justice In Times Of Turbulence” that should be read and carefully considered by every person who has any interest in the field of law.
Note.—Reported in 264 N. E. 2d 67.

. The condition here referred to does not exist in the case at bar.