Court Opinion

ID: 9577950
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 21:39:55.165384+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:21:35.411481
License: Public Domain

ERICKSON, Justice,
specially concurring in the result:
Although I agree with the conclusion reached by the majority that the conviction should be affirmed, I disagree with the analysis in part II of the opinion. I specially concurred in People v. Curtis, 681 P.2d *130504 (Colo.1984), and took exception to the court’s elevation of the defendant’s right to testify under the sixth amendment of the United States Constitution to the level of a fundamental right. Justice Rovira joined my special concurrence.
In this case, the majority has focused on the fifth amendment right against self-incrimination and has again categorized the right as a fundamental right, buttressing the opinion with a reference to article II, section 18 of the Colorado Constitution, which parallels the federal guarantee of the privilege against self-incrimination. The majority cites no authority to support its holding that the defendant’s right not to take the stand is a fundamental constitutional right. The court states only that it can “see no principled basis” for viewing the right against self-incrimination differently from the right to testify in one’s own defense that was analyzed in Curtis. Majority op. at 123. Yet the majority goes on to distinguish the two situations in determining what advisement requirements to impose on the trial court.
The history of a defendant’s right to testify on his own behalf in a criminal case was capsulated in footnote 7 of the majority opinion in People v. Curtis, 681 P.2d at 510-511. The importance of the defendant’s right to testify in defense of the charges that have been made against him cannot be over-emphasized. Regardless of what instructions are given to the jury, the defendant’s election to testify or to remain silent is of great significance to the jury. M. Freedman, Professional Responsibility of the Criminal Defense Lawyer: The Three Hardest Questions, 64 Mich.L.Rev. 1469 (1966); see also Nix v. Whiteside, — U.S. -, 106 S.Ct. 988, 89 L.Ed.2d 123 (1986). Any defense lawyer that does not review in depth the advantages and disadvantages of the defendant testifying on his own behalf is derelict in his duty to his client. The American Bar Association Standards for Criminal Justice provide:
(a) Certain decisions relating to the conduct of the case are ultimately for the accused and others are ultimately for the defense counsel. The decisions which are to be made by the accused after full consultation with counsel are:
(i) what plea to enter;
(ii) whether to waive jury trial; and
(iii) whether to testify in his or her own behalf.
Standards for Criminal Justice § 4-5.2(A) (1979).
In determining whether the defendant should testify, defense counsel “should give his client the benefit of his advice and experience, but the ultimate decision must be made by the defendant and the defendant alone.” Levy, Some Comments on the Trial of a Criminal Case, 10 Rec.Assn.B. City N.Y., 203, 213 (1955); accord, Stein-berg & Paulsen, A Conversation with Defense Counsel on Problems of a Criminal Defense, 7 Prac. Law. 25, 37 (May 1961).
In my view, the majority in People v. Curtis assumed that defense counsel would not advise the defendant of his right to testify. Curtis in effect forces the trial judge to impose his presence and advice on sixth amendment issues, even when a defendant has competent defense counsel. In this case, the court establishes the same requirement as to the waiver of the right against self-incrimination. In my view, this requirement is unjustified and effectively creates an open season in post-conviction proceedings on lawyers and trial judges who have not followed the new ritual.
It is fundamental that a defendant in a criminal case who takes the witness stand will be treated as all other witnesses when cross-examined and will be subject to impeachment if he has been convicted of a felony. I believe that the extension of our holding in Curtis to the fifth amendment right against self-incrimination and its Colorado counterpart imposes requirements on the trial judge that fall within the responsibilities of defense counsel. Defense counsel is a trained advocate who is obligated to protect the defendant’s constitutional rights and to insure that defendant receives a fair trial. He cannot, except in very limited instances, disclose confidential *131communications with his client to anyone. Privileged communications with a client are sacrosanct and would be jeopardized by the requirement that the court now creates. If the rights set forth in the majority opinion are to be guaranteed to the defendant, the assertion of those rights in a post-conviction proceeding should fall upon the defendant, and he should have the burden of proof to establish alleged violations of those rights.
I also have serious reservations about footnote 5 of the majority opinion, which requires the trial judge to be cautious about his words, tone of voice, and demean- or in advising the defendant about the issue of waiver when he elects to testify. In my view, we are creating unnecessary additional rules and grounds for post-conviction proceedings that only insure that litigation will never end once the defendant has been convicted. The defendant is advised of his rights against self-incrimination pursuant to Crim.P. 5 at his first appearance in court. People v. Heintze, 200 Colo. 248, 614 P.2d 367 (Colo.1983). In my opinion, the new procedure announced by the majority erodes the attorney-client relationship by establishing that the court does not trust the defense lawyer to carry out his professional duties.
I am authorized to say that VOLLACK, J., joins me in this special concurrence.