State of Louisiana v. Dexter Holder
Also decided on this docket: La. Ct. App. 3d Cir., February 27, 2013
State of Louisiana v. Dexter Holder, No. KA-0012-0258 (La. Ct. App. 3d Cir. Nov. 7, 2012).
Authorities cited
Identified automatically; this list may not be exhaustive.
- State v. Leger 936 So. 2d 108
- State v. Captville 448 So. 2d 676
- State v. Pigford 922 So. 2d 517
- Nicholes v. Motors Insurance Corp. 680 So. 2d 1165
- State v. Lubrano 563 So. 2d 847
- State v. Smith 661 So. 2d 442
- State v. Ryan 969 So. 2d 1268
- State v. Lambert 720 So. 2d 724
- State v. Mussall 523 So. 2d 1305
- State v. Strother 49 So. 3d 372
- State v. Butler 322 So. 2d 189
- State v. Thomas 48 So. 3d 1210
- State v. Johnson 60 So. 3d 1248
- State v. Smith 740 So. 2d 675
- STATE EX REL. SMITH v. State 785 So. 2d 840
- State v. Brown 966 So. 2d 1138
- STATE EX REL. CHAIRS v. State 978 So. 2d 304
- State v. Brown 978 So. 2d 312
- 936 So. 2d 170 not in our corpus
- State v. Strain 585 So. 2d 540
- State v. Hegwood 345 So. 2d 1179
- State v. Bridgewater 823 So. 2d 877
Opinion text
STATE OF LOUISIANA
COURT OF APPEAL, THIRD CIRCUIT
12-258
STATE OF LOUISIANA
VERSUS
DEXTER HOLDER
**********
APPEAL FROM THE
SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT
PARISH OF IBERIA, NO. 07-1124
HONORABLE LORI ANN LANDRY, DISTRICT JUDGE
**********
JOHN D. SAUNDERS
JUDGE
**********
Court composed of John D. Saunders, Elizabeth A. Pickett, and James T. Genovese,
Judges.
AFFIRMED.
J. Phillip Haney
District Attorney, 16th Judicial District Court
Angela B. Odinet
300 Iberia Street, Suite 200
New Iberia, LA 70560
(337) 369-4420
COUNSEL FOR APPELLEE:
State of Louisiana
Edward Kelly Bauman
La Appellate Project
P. O. Box 1641
Lake Charles, LA 70602-1641
(337) 491-0570
COUNSEL FOR DEFENDANT-APPELLANT:
Dexter Holder
SAUNDERS, Judge.
Defendant, Dexter Holder, was charged on June 5, 2007 with armed robbery,
a violation of La.R.S. 14:64; attempted second degree murder, a violation of
La.R.S. 14:27 and 14:30.1; and two counts of second degree kidnapping, a
violation of La.R.S. 14:44.1. The State elected not to prosecute the armed robbery
charge.
On June 10, 2009, Defendant filed a motion to enroll as pro se counsel and a
motion to waive counsel. On July 6, 2009, the trial court conducted a hearing
pursuant to Faretta v. California, 422 U.S. 806, 95 S.Ct. 2525 (1975) and denied
the motion.
A jury found Defendant guilty of all three remaining charges on October 14,
2009. Defendant was sentenced on March 30, 2010 to twenty-five years at hard
labor for attempted second degree murder and ten years at hard labor on each count
of second degree kidnapping. The kidnapping sentences were to run concurrently
with each other but consecutively to the attempted second degree murder sentence.
The State filed its original multiple bill of information on October 16, 2009, but
withdrew it at the sentencing hearing on March 30, 2010. The State filed a new
multiple bill at the sentencing hearing, and Defendant pled not guilty.
At the multiple offender hearing on March 18, 2011, the trial court accepted
evidence of Defendant‘s criminal history and took the matter of his adjudication
under advisement. On July 7, 2011, the trial court found Defendant to be a fourth
or subsequent felony offender and vacated the earlier sentence for attempted
second degree murder. The trial judge sentenced Defendant ―as a fifth felony
offender for attempted second degree murder to the mandatory minimum of 50
years with the Department of Corrections at hard labor.‖ She kept intact the two
ten-year sentences for second degree kidnapping. The two ten-year sentences,
already adjudicated to run concurrently with each other, are to run concurrently
with the fifty-year sentence.
FACTS:
On April 27, 2007, Wilson Honore, III saw Defendant ―[g]etting through the
window‖ of apartment B-18 of the St. Edwards housing project, ―[t]earing the
screen down trying to get in.‖ This was the home of Honore‘s aunt, Linda Jones,
who lived there with Defendant‘s father, Ronnie Merritt, and Defendant. Honore
did nothing; he ―went on [his] way.‖ Two hours later, after 10:00 p.m., Honore
saw Defendant ―pass in front [of Honore‘s] grandfather‘s house,‖ apartment B-24.
Honore was getting out of his van and Defendant ―just came on [him,] and [he
didn‘t] know what was wrong.‖ Defendant had two knives in his hand, and ―him
and his Daddy was getting into it.‖ Honore got out of the van and headed toward
his friend‘s apartment, B-16. Defendant asked Honore ―[does he] want some,
too?‖ He approached Honore with the knives but stopped and resumed arguing
with Merritt. Honore asked Merritt to handle the situation and take care of his son.
While Defendant and his father argued, Honore watched Defendant go into
Merritt‘s house. Honore went ―to the back door of one of [his] partner‘s house‖
and knocked on the door. Someone hollered, ―he‘s coming around the corner,‖
and Honore heard gunshots. He turned around and saw Defendant pointing a rifle
directly at him and firing it.
Honore ―took out running‖ after the first three shots, and he heard more.
One of the shots hit him in the ankle. Although Honore did not know how many
shots were fired, he recalled hearing more than five. On June 4, 2009, Honore
signed an affidavit prepared by Defendant alleging he wanted to drop the charges
against Defendant; he testified at trial he wanted to ―[f]orgive and forget.‖ Honore
believed the incident was ―a misunderstanding or whatever he was going
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through . . . an accident to [him] . . . [i]t wasn‘t meant.‖ Honore admitted, however,
the shots did not appear to be accidentally fired.
Earlier in the evening, Honore had seen Defendant with Yolanda Lewis, who
he testified was Defendant‘s girlfriend. They were in the parking lot in front of
Merritt‘s apartment.
Merritt testified as a hostile witness at trial that he ―pulled up in [his] car‖
when Defendant and Honore were arguing. Merritt told Honore ―to go ahead on,
so it wouldn‘t be nothing.‖ Honore ―stood there for a while‖ and left after
Defendant went into the house.
The next time Merritt saw Defendant, he came up to Merritt‘s car with a gun.
Merritt ―dropped [Defendant] off around the corner,‖ and then he heard at least
two shots. Defendant returned to the car with the gun. Merritt drove Defendant
from the scene and told him he should get rid of the gun because he was going to
get in trouble. At trial, Merritt testified he drove Defendant voluntarily and did not
feel intimidated by him.
In an audiotape played at trial of a prior conversation between Merritt and
the State‘s attorney, Merritt said Defendant told him he did not know if he hit
Honore when he fired the gun. The audiotape also included Merritt saying he
would not have driven Defendant away if he had not had a weapon; Merritt feared
he might get hurt or killed by Defendant. At trial, however, Merritt testified he did
not feel threatened, but did not ―trust nobody‘s gun‖; he was not kidnapped.
Merritt was ―drinking that night and half of the stuff [he didn‘t] even remember,
and ―most of [what he testified] is the truth.‖
Officer Wade Bergeron of the Iberia Parish Sheriff‘s Office responded to the
shooting around 11:15 p.m. on April 27, 2007. He found a very angry and agitated
Honore, who said Defendant had shot him. Honore said he thought Defendant may
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be in building ―B‖ of the housing project. Officer Bergeron found Merritt at that
location. He was excited and yelling, and he seemed unwilling to allow them
inside. Merritt stated he had been assaulted by Defendant with a knife and then
with a gun. He took Defendant around the block in his vehicle; he did not go
voluntarily, but rather ―[b]ecause he was scared of his life.‖
After Honore went to the hospital, 911 received a call from someone
identified as ―Yolanda,‖ who stated Defendant was in the car with her, but ―that he
had gotten out.‖ Officer Bergeron located the vehicle, and another unit made the
traffic stop. Defendant got out of the vehicle and ran. Officer Bergeron identified
Defendant as the suspect who was captured after a chase of ―a couple of blocks.‖
Officer Bergeron‘s police report indicated Merritt told him Defendant forced
him with a knife to open his residence. Defendant retrieved a rifle inside and left,
then ran to the front of the residence and began shooting at Honore. Defendant
then forced Merritt into Merritt‘s vehicle and told him to drive around the block.
After traveling a few yards, Defendant jumped out of the vehicle.
Yolanda Lewis also testified at trial. She and Defendant ―became friends
and stuff‖ after meeting at the St. Edwards housing project two to three weeks
prior to April 27, 2007. On that date, Lewis left her house and was stopped at a
traffic sign when Defendant jumped into her car with a rifle. She testified about
what Defendant said:
He told me something about he got to get away and stuff like that. He
got to get back to Mississippi. So I say, ―why what‘s wrong?: I say,
―what you doing with that? Why you don‘t say that?‖ And I think we
left, we rolled a little piece down the street and that‘s when he said
that he had shot somebody and I had to get him back to Mississippi.
Defendant told Lewis he thought he had killed ―that m***** f*****.‖ He told her
she had to find some money for gas to get him to Mississippi. Lewis thought she
would try to get the gun away so he did not kill her, then find a way to get him out
4
of her vehicle. She persuaded Defendant to ―hide the gun in the country by [her]
grandmother‘s house.‖
Lewis went to her nephew‘s house to get some money, but he was not at
home. All the while, Defendant ―was still fussing and kept telling [her] to get, you
know, and cursing [her] and telling [her] to get him to Mississippi. . . .‖ Defendant
had no weapons after they left the gun. After they ―rode around a long time
again,‖ Lewis suggested they go to her friend‘s house. Defendant told her if she
did not do what he told her, ―he would hurt [her] family and stuff like that.‖
Defendant and Lewis went to the home of Lewis‘s friend; Lewis asked if
they could stay for a little while because she was tired. She told her friend she
could ―take [her] car up town,‖ and the friend went to a club in it. When the friend
returned on foot after leaving the car at the club, she told Lewis ―[her] car is
surrounded by cops,‖ she had heard Defendant had shot someone, and he had to
leave her home. Defendant said Lewis was coming with him, and they walked
down the street to where the friend had left Lewis‘s car. The officers were no
longer there. As they walked, Lewis ―was trying to cry, hoping somebody would
see [her].‖ She passed beside two girls and whispered to them, ―he gonna kill me .
. . I‘m scared,‖ but she did not know if they heard her. Lewis and Defendant rode
around in her car again, then went to her mother‘s house, where Lewis called 911.
Her parents were inside the house asleep when she made the call. Lewis
cooperated with Defendant because she knew her life was in danger, and she was
―scared that he was going to kill [her] . . . with his hand.‖
After the call, Lewis left in the car with Defendant and drove until she saw a
police vehicle‘s lights behind her. Defendant told her not to stop, but she did
anyway; Defendant ―took off running out the car.‖
5
Defendant threatened Lewis both before and after they left the gun. He told
her:
he knew where [her] people was and he was saying what type of
person he is and he say he can, you know, he was going get somebody
to hurt us. . . he told [her] he was something about a Vice Lord
Disciple or something . . . And something about his horns, that he got
‗em, that he have on his forehead.
Defendant told Lewis the Vice Lords were ―like a gang, something about gang
disciples something, and that he could send people out to hurt [her] and [her]
family and all this.‖ Lewis said ―[w]hat was intimidating to [her] is the idea that –
about the Vice Lord, when he said Vice Lord Disciples and the horns, and he drew
this picture‖ of ―four (4) arrows that cross over, but it‘s like a tail of a devil at the
bottom. Each arrow has something different on it.‖ However, she testified she
knew about the Vice Lords and the tattoo on Defendant‘s forehead prior to April
27, 2007. On the night of the incident, ―[i]t was the gun that scared of [her] and it
was the idea knowing that he was in that type of gang violence.‖ She had not
feared the gang violence before because she ―thought he was really wanting to
make a change.‖ At trial, Lewis did not recall previously telling police she had
told Defendant earlier in the day she did not want to have any more to do with him.
After police stopped Lewis‘s vehicle and Defendant fled, Lewis told Officer
Andres Gonzalez she was threatened by Defendant. Officer Gonzalez found the
rifle where Lewis said they had left it. DNA testing showed Defendant ―could not
be excluded as a possible contributor‖ to DNA on the stock of the rifle, while
96.5% of the African American population could be excluded.
ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO. 1:
Defendant argues the trial court erred in finding him guilty of the attempted
second degree murder and two counts of second degree kidnapping beyond a
reasonable doubt. The standard of review in a sufficiency of the evidence claim is
6
―whether, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any
rational trier of fact could have found proof beyond a reasonable doubt of each of
the essential elements of the crime charged.‖ State v. Leger, 05-11, p. 91 (La.
7/10/06), 936 So.2d 108, 170, cert. denied, 549 U.S. 1221, 127 S.Ct. 1279 (2007)
(citing Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781 (1979); State v. Captville,
448 So.2d 676, 678 (La.1984)). The Jackson standard of review does not allow the
appellate court ―to substitute its own appreciation of the evidence for that of the
fact-finder.‖ State v. Pigford, 05-477, p. 6 (La. 2/22/06), 922 So.2d 517, 521
(citing State v. Robertson, 96-1048 (La. 10/4/96), 680 So.2d 1165; State v.
Lubrano, 563 So.2d 847, 850 (La.1990)). The appellate court‘s function is not to
assess the credibility of witnesses or reweigh the evidence. State v. Smith, 94-3116
(La. 10/16/95), 661 So.2d 442. A reviewing court may intervene in the trier of
fact‘s decision only to the extent necessary to guarantee due process of law.
Pigford, 922 So. 2d 517.
The factfinder‘s role is to weigh the credibility of witnesses. State v. Ryan,
07-504 (La.App. 3 Cir. 11/7/07), 969 So.2d 1268. Thus, other than insuring the
sufficiency evaluation standard of Jackson, ―the appellate court should not
second-guess the credibility determination of the trier of fact,‖ but rather, it should
defer to the rational credibility and evidentiary determinations of the jury. Id. at
1270 (quoting State v. Lambert, 97-64, pp. 4-5 (La.App. 3 Cir. 9/30/98), 720 So.2d
724, 726-27). Our supreme court has stated:
However, an appellate court may impinge on the fact finder‘s
discretion and its role in determining the credibility of witnesses ―only
to the extent necessary to guarantee the fundamental due process of
law.‖ State v. Mussall, 523 So.2d 1305, 1310 (La.1988). In
determining the sufficiency of the evidence supporting a conviction,
an appellate court must preserve ―‗the factfinder‘s role as weigher of
the evidence‘ by reviewing ‗all of the evidence . . . in the light most
favorable to the prosecution.‘‖ McDaniel v. Brown, 558 U.S. ___,
___, 130 S.Ct. 665, 674, 175 L.Ed.2d 582 (quoting Jackson v.
7
Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 2789, 61 L.Ed.2d 560
(1979)). When so viewed by an appellate court, the relevant question
is whether, on the evidence presented at trial, ―any rational trier of fact
could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a
reasonable doubt.‖ Jackson, 443 U.S. at 319, 99 S.Ct. at 2789.
State v. Strother, 09-2357, p. 10 (La. 10/22/10), 49 So.3d 372, 378. As such, we
must review each charge separately to determine whether the evidence was
sufficient to convict Defendant on each count.
Attempted second degree murder
―Second degree murder is the killing of a human being . . . [w]hen the
offender has a specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm.‖ La.R.S.
14:30.1. An attempted crime occurs when:
[a]ny person who, having a specific intent to commit a crime, does or
omits an act for the purpose of and tending directly toward the
accomplishing of his object . . . [S]earching for the intended victim
with a dangerous weapon with the intent to commit a crime, shall be
sufficient to constitute an attempt to commit the offense intended.
La.R.S. 14:27. Specific criminal intent to kill is a required element of the crime of
attempted murder. State v. Butler, 322 So.2d 189 (La.1975). It ―may be
established by the circumstances surrounding an accused‘s actions. It is well-
settled that the act of pointing a gun at a person and firing the gun is an indication
of the intent to kill that person.‖ State v. Thomas, 10-269, p. 7 (La.App. 3 Cir.
10/6/10), 48 So.3d 1210, 1215, writ denied, 10-2527 (La. 4/1/11), 60 So.3d 1248,
cert. denied, __ US ____, 132 S.Ct. 196 (2011) (citations omitted).
Defendant first argued with his father while holding two knives, then he
came at Honore with them. Defendant went into his father‘s house, then came out
and pursued Honore with a rifle. Honore saw Defendant point the rifle directly at
him while firing it. Defendant fired the rifle at least twice more as Honore ran
away from him, striking Honore in the ankle. Honore heard more than five shots
fired.
8
According to Defendant, the fact that he fired multiple shots and only struck
Honore once in the ankle indicates he had no specific intent to kill. We find that
any of those shots could have struck and killed anyone; the fact Defendant only
shot Honore in the ankle could simply indicate he is a poor shot. Defendant
pointed a loaded rifle at Honore and fired it while pursuing him, striking him once.
The second circuit, in similar circumstances, inferred the specific intent to
kill in State v. Smith, 31,955 (La.App. 2 Cir. 5/5/99), 740 So.2d 675, writ denied,
00-1404 (La. 2/16/01), 785 So.2d 840. The defendant shot an assault rifle into a
house full of children. He knew several children lived in the house, and he saw
lights on inside the house when he fired into it. Likewise, this court found the
specific intent to kill or harm multiple people in State v. Brown, 07-388 (La.App. 3
Cir. 10/3/07), 966 So.2d 1138, writ denied, 07-2159 (La. 3/28/08), 978 So.2d 304
and writ denied, 08-326 (La. 3/28/08), 978 So.2d 312. Although evidence
suggested the defendant intended to harm only one person, he fired a gun toward
three who were standing close together. He continued to shoot at them as they fled
into the house.
The reasoning of Smith and Brown applies here. The evidence was
sufficient to find Defendant committed attempted second degree murder.
Second degree kidnapping of Ronnie Merritt
―[K]idnapping is: (1) The forcible seizing and carrying of any person from
one place to another; or (2) The enticing or persuading of any person to go from
one place to another. . . .‖ La.R.S. 14:44.1(B). The crime becomes a second
degree offense when ―the victim is . . . [i]mprisoned or kidnapped when the
offender is armed with a dangerous weapon or leads the victim to reasonably
believe he is armed with a dangerous weapon.‖ La.R.S. 14:44.1(A)(5).
9
Merritt testified at trial he drove Defendant ―around the corner‖ voluntarily,
and he was not intimidated by him. However, the jury heard a recording in which
Merritt said he would not have driven Defendant away if he had not been armed.
In the recording, Merritt said he felt intimidated, and if he did not drive Defendant,
he might be hurt or killed. At trial, Merritt testified he ―was drinking that night.‖
Merritt testified he did not feel threatened, but ―just wanted to get him away from
me‖ because he did not ―trust nobody‘s gun.‖
The recording was played but not introduced into evidence at trial. Merritt
admitted the voice on the recording was his. The other voice on the recording was
not identified. No testimony revealed when, where, or how long after the incident
the recording was made.
Without question, Defendant was armed when he got into Merritt‘s vehicle.
Less clear, however, is whether Defendant forcibly seized or carried Merritt away,
or enticed or persuaded him to drive away in his vehicle. Nevertheless, the jury
heard and considered the evidence, accepted the statement Merritt made on the
night of the incident, and rejected his testimony at trial. This court may not
disregard the jury‘s verdict unless it determines a rational jury could not have
reached this result. Leger, 936 So.2d 170; Jackson, 99 S.Ct. 2789.
Second degree kidnapping of Yolanda Lewis
Yolanda Lewis testified she was stopped at a traffic sign when Defendant
jumped into her car carrying the rifle. She did not testify Defendant threatened her
with the gun, although she said she feared he would have his gang-related friends
harm her or her family. Once Lewis persuaded Defendant to leave the gun at her
grandmother‘s property, she was no longer in imminent danger. She drove to her
nephew‘s house seeking money. She rode around with Defendant. She took
Defendant to her friend‘s house, where she lent her car to her friend and stayed
10
there with Defendant to sleep. She took Defendant to her parents‘ house, where
she called 911 but never woke her parents. She voluntarily went back out to the
car, where Defendant waited for her, and left with him.
Under these facts, the only period to properly consider for a second degree
kidnapping charge is the time from when Defendant got into Lewis‘s car with the
rifle to when they left the rifle behind. Defendant‘s actions during that period in
fact show the forcible seizing and carrying of Lewis from one place to another
while armed with a dangerous weapon. Thus, the evidence was sufficient for the
jury to find Defendant guilty of the second degree kidnapping of Lewis beyond a
reasonable doubt.
ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO. 2:
Defendant contends the trial court erred by not allowing him to represent
himself. In his motion to enroll himself as counsel and motion to waive counsel,
he alleged his court-appointed attorney was not providing sufficient representation
for him.
An accused has the right to chose [sic] between the right to
counsel and the right to self-representation. State v. Strain, 585 So.2d
540, 542 (La.1991). An accused, however, will be held to have
forfeited the right to self-representation if he vacillates between self-
representation and representation by counsel. United States v. Bennett,
539 F.2d 45, 51 (10th Cir.1976); United States v. Frazier–El, 204
F.3d 553 (4th Cir.), cert. denied, 531 U.S. 994, 121 S.Ct. 487, 148
L.Ed.2d 459 (2000). In light of the fundamental significance attached
to the right to counsel, the jurisprudence has engrafted a requirement
that the assertion of the right to self-representation must be clear and
unequivocal. See 3 Wayne R. LaFave, Jerold H. Israel & Nancy J.
King, Criminal Procedure § 11.3(a)(2nd ed. 1999)(noting courts
should ― ‗indulge in every reasonable presumption against waiver‘ ‖);
Faretta v. California, 422 U.S. 806, 835, 95 S.Ct. 2525, 2541, 45
L.Ed.2d 562 (1975); State v. Hegwood, 345 So.2d 1179, 1181–82
(La.1977). Requests which vacillate between self-representation and
representation by counsel are equivocable [sic]. Bennett, supra.
Whether the defendant has knowingly, intelligently, and
unequivocably [sic] asserted the right to self-representation must be
determined based on the facts and circumstances of each case. See
11
State v. Strain, 585 So.2d 540, 542 (La.1991)(citing Johnson v.
Zerbst, 304 U.S. 458, 58 S.Ct. 1019, 82 L.Ed. 1461 (1938)).
Turning to the instant case, we find no merit in defendant's
procedural contention that the trial court applied the wrong standard
by focusing on his lack of legal experience and no merit in his
substantive contention that his request to represent himself was
unequivocable [sic].
Procedurally, the trial judge‘s reasoning, taken as a whole,
evidences that he applied the correct legal standard; specifically he
stated:
Well, it‘s obvious to me that to waive counsel is not in
Mr. Bridgewater‘s best interest. He would not know what
he was doing in the conducting of a trial. He has very
little legal experience, if any, and I don‘t believe that the
choice would be—he would make would be a knowing,
intelligent choice being made with his eyes open. So I‘m
going to deny him his right to or deny the right, his
motion to represent himself. (Emphasis supplied).
We are satisfied that the trial judge properly focused on defendant‘s
lack of a ―knowing, intelligent choice‖ as his basis for denying the
motion.
State v. Bridgewater, 00-1529, pp. 17-18 (La. 1/15/02), 823 So.2d 877, 894-95,
modified on rehearing, 00-1529 (La. 6/21/02), 823 So.2d 877, cert. denied, 537
U.S. 1227, 123 S.Ct. 1266 (2003).
At the Faretta hearing on July 6, 2009, Defendant told the trial court he had
completed the sixth grade, and he had taught himself to read and write while he
was incarcerated. He had no educational background in legal matters other than
―[j]ust basically learning what I can do myself.‖ Although Defendant had
represented himself in a theft charge in Mississippi, and he first told the trial judge
the result was ―I got released from court,‖ he actually pled guilty and did not go
through a jury trial as he would have to do in this case. He was ―kind of‖ familiar
with the rules of criminal procedure. Defendant was unaware the court would not
furnish books for him that were unavailable through the jail‘s law library.
Although he planned to call himself as a witness, Defendant did not know how he
12
was going to handle his own questioning; he told the trial judge, ―I can question
the jury.‖ Defendant had not considered that he did not have the right to say
everything he wanted to say at trial. He did not understand that, while he had the
right to court-appointed counsel, he did not have the right to counsel of his choice.
He felt his counsel ―could work better to her capabilities,‖ and he was unhappy that
she would not file and/or adopt his pro se motions as her own.
The trial judge found Defendant was ―not qualified, capable, aware to
represent [him]self . . . [He was] not capable to handling this representation and
seriousness of this nature.‖ While the trial judge believed Defendant to be
intelligent and able to read and write, ―that does not mean that [he] understand[s]
the impact of representing [him]self.‖ She felt ―[h]e is not fully understanding or
capable of representing himself for charges that ask for his life,‖ based on ―after
interrogation, not only the answers that he gave, his posture while giving them, and
his insistence every time he is in court to share with this court or anybody who is
listening, the things that are inappropriate to be shared at that time.‖
As in Bridgewater, 823 So.2d at 895, Defendant‘s best interests would not
have been served by allowing him to waive counsel. Defendant has very little
legal experience and admittedly would not know how to conduct his trial. His
demonstrated lack of knowledge of what would be expected and required of him in
self-representation prevented Defendant from making a knowing, intelligent choice
to waive counsel with his eyes open. In other words, he could not knowingly and
intelligently choose to do what he did not know he was choosing to do.
Accordingly, we find that this assignment of error lacks merit.
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DECREE:
Defendant‘s convictions for attempted second degree murder and second
degree kidnapping, his adjudication as a habitual offender, and his sentences are
affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
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