Court Opinion

ID: 9465435
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 00:46:24.796206+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:39:10.740418
License: Public Domain

LUMBARD, Circuit Judge,
with whom MANSFIELD, Circuit Judge, concurs, concurring:
I concur in the affirmance of the convictions.
The defendants and their counsel were fully advised prior to trial by Chief Judge Mishler regarding the dangers of possible conflicts of interests which might arise from their being represented by the same counsel. Despite this advice they elected to proceed with the same counsel. Judge Mishler then permitted the defendants to stand trial with the same counsel. I think that should end the matter and they should not now be heard to complain.
If we are to inquire into claims of prejudice in every case where co-defendants have been convicted after trial during which two or more of them were represented by the same counsel, despite full warning by the court of the dangers of such representation, we are inviting the creation of strategies and situations during the course of trial which may lend color to claims of prejudice from conflicts of interest when the convictions are on appeal.
*1241The Judicial Conference of the United States in September, 1978, approved a proposal of the Advisory Committee on Criminal Rules to amend Rule 44, which deals with the right to and assignment of counsel.1 Proposed Rule 44(c) would require the court, after defendants have been charged, promptly to inquire with respect to joint representation and personally to advise each defendant of his right to separate representation. The proposed amendment further provides:
“. . . Unless it appears that there is good cause to believe no conflict of interest is likely to arise, the court shall take such measures as may be appropriate to protect each defendant’s right to counsel.”
Meanwhile, trial judges can save themselves difficult questions at trial and at the retrial of cases if they will adopt a firm line in requiring separate counsel. Many of them are already doing this. Indeed, separate counsel should be required as soon as possible after formal charges have been filed as serious conflicts of interests can and do occur with respect to pre-trial strategy and pleas of guilty. Where the need for separate counsel imposes any undue financial burden the district court can appoint counsel under the Criminal Justice Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3006.

. This proposed rule does not become effective until it has been sent to the Congress by the Supreme Court of the United States and the Congress has failed to act thereon for a period of 90 days. 18 U.S.C. § 3771.