Court Opinion

ID: 9535801
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 06:44:28.454958+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:33:20.575368
License: Public Domain

*536N. J. Kaufman, J.
(dissenting). I respectfully dissent. I find it impossible to say with certainty that defendant suffered no prejudice by the absence of counsel at the preliminary examination. It is not evident to me that effective cross-examination might not have revealed sufficient deficiencies in complainant’s story to have precluded a binding over. Although defendant’s attorney did have an opportunity to cross-examine the witness at trial, there is no way of knowing whether vigorous cross-examination at the preliminary examination would have brought out evidence different from that which was presented at trial. Absent a knowing, intelligent and voluntary waiver of counsel by defendant, I am unable to say that the error in the instant case was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.