United States Second Circuit

A petition for writ of habeas corpus challenging petitioner's convictions for multiple rape-related crimes is denied, where: 1) at trial, petitioner elected to appear pro se and absent himself from the proceedings; 2) the trial judge introduced petitioner's standby counsel to the jury as his attorney, a mischaracterization that the court attempted to correct by reintroducing him as a "legal advisor;" 3) there is no clear Supreme Court precedent controlling this case; and 4) the introduction did not substantially impair petitioner's Sixth Amendment right to self-representation.

Appellate Information

• Decided 08/09/2013
• Published 08/09/2013

Judges

• JACOBS

Court

• United States Second Circuit

Counsel