Court Opinion

ID: 9618421
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 05:12:14.324063+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:32:28.191050
License: Public Domain

Justice CARLTON
dissenting.
I agree with that portion of Justice Exum’s dissent which relies on the principles enunciated by this Court in State v. Thacker, 301 N.C. 348, 271 S.E. 2d 252 (1980). However, I do not reach the question whether defendant received fair representation at the sentencing hearing. I believe this is unnecessary because defendant was denied his constitutional right to counsel from the time the trial court denied his request for substitute counsel. I think defendant’s lawyers did the best they could under the most trying of circumstances.
I prefer that this Court voluntarily apply principles it has already established instead of being ordered to do so by higher authority. The State has presented strong evidence of this defendant’s guilt. It is simply incumbent upon the State to give him a fair trial before imposing the appropriate punishment.