Court Opinion

ID: 9573053
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:47:10.076196+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:36:17.715036
License: Public Domain

*41Jordan, Justice,
concurring specially.
I do not agree with the conclusion of the majority opinion in Division 2 that a criminal defendant has the right to counsel and at the same time the right to represent himself. I would adhere to the opinion of this court in Krist v. Caldwell, 230 Ga. 536 (198 SE2d 161) (1973) holding that a defendant who chooses to be represented by counsel waives the "correlative right to represent himself.” This holding is in accord with the majority view in the United States and is consonant with the language in our Constitution. The use of the word "both” does not demand a finding that it means "both” at the same time. To allow a defendant to have counsel appointed to represent him and at the same time allow him to represent himself is entirely inconsistent with the orderly procedure of a trial. See Heard v. State, 126 Ga. App. 62, 65 (189 SE2d 895) (1972). A defendant cannot "have his cake and eat it too.”
I do not believe that the writers of the Constitution intended that this provision of the Constitution should be interpreted as the majority opinion holds. Since I agree that the error, if any, was harmless, I concur in the judgment of affirmance.
I am authorized to state that Chief Justice Nichols and Justice Hall join in this special concurrence.