Court Opinion

ID: 9791158
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 02:06:50.940579+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:34.505048
License: Public Domain

CROCKETT, Chief Justice
(dissenting):
Originally there were three defendants in this case charged jointly with arson and theft of money from a contractor’s mobile-home office. Don Hebertson, represented by employed counsel, was dismissed out of the case after confessing and implicating the other two, Shane Hall and this defendant, Henry Carl Smith. The court appointed the Utah County Defender’s office, which has a number of attorneys on its staff, to defend Hall and Smith.
At the preliminary hearing, Mr. Robert Schumacher of the Defender’s staff appeared as attorney of record representing both of those defendants. After they were bound over to the district court, another of the Defender’s attorneys, Mr. Sheldon Carter, appeared at the arraignment when the defendants entered their plea of not guilty. Mr. Schumacher then filed an identical defense of “notice of alibi” for both and filed an identical “amendment of notice of alibi” for both.
*700Within five days thereafter, Mr. Schu-macher represented Hall at a hearing wherein the prosecutor moved to dismiss the charge of arson against defendant Hall, who then entered a plea of guilty to a charge of burglary, which involved an agreement that Hall would testify against Smith. After that occurred, Mr. Schumacher did nothing further in representing Smith, but turned the latter’s case over to Mr. Carter, who represented Smith in all proceedings thereafter, including conducting his trial.
Insofar as the interests of justice in this case are concerned, it is significant that the record indicates that Mr. Carter rendered an entirely competent and credible service in his defense of defendant Smith; and further, that the evidence shows beyond any reasonable doubt that the defendant Smith instigated the planning of the crime and actively participated in burning the trailer and stealing the cash box. In that regard, it is further important to note that, in his brief on appeal, the defendant raises no question as to either of the just-stated facts, but argues only matters relating to his right to uninhibited counsel, a subject which was never mentioned to the trial court until after his conviction.
In writing this dissent, I take full cognizance of and note my agreement with certain propositions respecting the right to counsel. One accused of crime is entitled to counsel who will give unreserved and undivided commitment to his interests and his defense.1 If it appears that one attorney represents two or more defendants jointly charged, and the circumstances are such that there is any likelihood that there may be a conflict, so that the interest of one may give way to that of 'the other, each accused should be entitled to separate counsel.2 But the facts of this case do not conflict with those propositions.
It is apparent that after the defendant Hall had entered into the agreement to enter a plea of guilty, Mr. Schumacher recognized that there might be a problem if he continued to represent the defendant Smith. He acted in accordance with what I regard as a high standard of professional ethics by discontinuing his representation of the defendant Smith. He did nothing further therein, except to turn the latter’s case over to Mr. Carter, who, the record shows, did an entirely competent job of representing the defendant’s interests. The matter of over-riding importance in this case is that there is not even the merest conjecture that there was any deficiency in the relationship of counsel and client, nor any fault or failure therein, which had, or could have had, any adverse effect upon the defendant or his conviction.3
It does not square with my sense of justice for a defendant to accept the very considerable efforts of a conscientious and capable lawyer, who represents him and tries his case without the defendant giving any word or indication of disagreement or objection, stands by to abide the outcome, and when he loses, then turns and attacks that counsel as not having given him proper representation.
I would affirm the conviction.

. Glasser v. U. S., 315 U.S. 60, 62 S.Ct. 457, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942); Holloway v. Arkansas, 435 U.S. 475, 98 S.Ct. 1173, 55 L.Ed.2d 426 (1978).

. People v. Gallardo, 269 Cal.App.2d 86, 74 Cal.Rptr. 572 (1969).

. State v. Andrews, 106 Ariz. 372, 476 P.2d 672 (1970).