Court Opinion

ID: 9709412
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 03:46:58.143877+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:48.633127
License: Public Domain

Mr. JUSTICE JOHNSON, dissenting: I respectfully dissent from that part of the majority opinion which concerns itself with the conflict of interest issue. For this reason, I find it imperative to submit a comment on the law governing conflicts of interest in criminal proceedings. The Code of Professional Responsibility forbids multiple representation “if it would be likely to involve [the lawyer] in representing differing interests.” ABA Code of Professional Responsibility, Disciplinary Rule 5 — 105(A) (1977). Such a divergence of duty is not clearly apparent in this case. Leading conflict of interest cases involve multiple representation of defendants by a single attorney. (See Holloway v. Arkansas (1978), 435 U.S. 475,55 L. Ed. 2d 426, 98 S. Ct. 1173; Glasser v. United States (1942), 315 U.S. 60, 86 L. Ed. 680, 62 S. Ct. 457.) In this case, the issue is raised based upon the past representation of a key witness for the State by defense counsel. The record does not indicate the defense attorney was hampered in any way. Additionally, there was no indication of any grounds for impeachment of the witness on cross-examination. There was no present relationship between defendant’s attorney and the witness nor was there a continuing relationship between the witness and the attorney’s firm. If this court cannot make the determination that there was an actual divergence of interest, there was no reversible error. It was with this reasoning that the United States Supreme Court ruled in the case of Cuyler v. Sullivan (May 12, 1980), 48 U.S.L.W. 4517. In Cuyler, a case involving multiple representation, the court stated: “We hold that the possibility of conflict is insufficient to impugn a criminal conviction. In order to demonstrate a violation of his Sixth Amendment rights, a defendant must establish that an actual conflict of interest adversely affected his lawyer’s performance.” (Emphasis added.) 48 U.S.L.W. 4517, 4521. Every criminal defendant has a constitutional right to the assistance of an attorney unhindered by a conflict of interest. However, henceforth, only a showing that an actual conflict of interest adversely affected performance of defense counsel will be grounds for reversible error. I would affirm the judgment of the trial court pertaining to the conflict of interest issue.