Court Opinion

ID: 9481306
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 08:14:34.72519+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:48:13.218030
License: Public Domain

COX, Circuit Judge,
dissenting:
An indigent defendant in a criminal case does not have the right to dismiss a qualified lawyer appointed by the court and demand that a different lawyer be appointed except for good cause. See Thomas v. Wainwright, 767 F.2d 738, 742 (11th Cir.1985), cert. denied, 475 U.S. 1031, 106 S.Ct. 1241, 89 L.Ed.2d 349 (1986); and United States v. Young, 482 F.2d 993, 995 (5th *378Cir.1973).1 In this case, however, that is what Marshall has been permitted to do.
The district court found that after the jury had been sworn and seated for trial, Marshall unreasonably and without just cause dismissed his counsel — literally asking him to leave the courtroom. Marshall did not then and does not now desire to represent himself.2 He understood enough about the dangers of self-representation to know that he did not want to represent himself, that he was “definitely not qualified” to represent himself, and that it would be a “very bad disadvantage” for him to do so; those were Marshall’s words at the time. That is all a defendant needs to know about the dangers of self-representation.
I would affirm the district court's determination that Marshall voluntarily waived his Sixth Amendment right to counsel by unreasonably dismissing his qualified, court-appointed counsel. See United States v. Moore, 706 F.2d 538, 540, (5th Cir.) cert. denied, 464 U.S. 859, 104 S.Ct. 183, 78 L.Ed.2d 163 (1983) (“a persistent, unreasonable demand for dismissal of counsel and appointment of new counsel ... is the functional equivalent of a knowing and voluntary waiver of counsel”).

. In Bonner v. City of Prichard, 661 F.2d 1206, 1209 (11th Cir.1981) ten banc), this court adopted as binding precedent all decisions of the former Fifth Circuit handed down prior to October 1, 1981.

. The district court found that by attempting to discharge his attorney, Marshall was actually seeking a continuance.