People v. Wilson

397 P.3d 1090, 2011 WL 2474295, 2011 Colo. App. LEXIS 2172
CourtColorado Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 23, 2011
DocketNo. 09CA1073
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 397 P.3d 1090 (People v. Wilson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Colorado Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Wilson, 397 P.3d 1090, 2011 WL 2474295, 2011 Colo. App. LEXIS 2172 (Colo. Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

Opinion by

Judge CASEBOLT.

In this posteonvietion proceeding, the primary issue is whether the federal constitution, as interpreted in Indiana v. Edwards, 554 U.S. 164, 128 S.Ct. 2379, 171 L.Ed.2d 345 (2008), requires state trial courts to employ a particular test to determine a defendant’s mental competency to waive counsel and represent himself at trial or, instead, courts need only determine mental competency to stand trial under the standards set forth in [1092]*1092Godinez v. Moran, 509 U.S. 389, 396, 113 S.Ct. 2680, 125 L.Ed.2d 321 (1993). We reject the contention of defendant, Douglas Eugene Wilson, that Edwards requires a different standard. We also decline to address defendant’s contention that he was mentally incompetent to stand trial, because he could and should have raised that issue on direct appeal, and thus his claim here is successive, We further reject defendant’s contention that his attorneys were ineffective for failing to request a competency determination before they withdrew from representing him, Accordingly, we affirm the postconviction court’s order denying defendant’s Crim. P. 35(c) motion without a hearing. We also deny defendant’s pro se motion requesting that new appellate counsel be appointed or, alternatively, that he be permitted to represent himself in this appeal.

I. Background

In September 2001, the prosecution charged defendant with first degree murder. The court appointed attorneys from the Public Defender’s- office to represent him. In December 2001, when defendant claimed that a conflict existed with these attorneys, the trial court held a hearing on the matter and rejected the claim. When defendant nevertheless insisted upon appointment of new attorneys, the court responded that he could either be represented by the appointed attorneys or represent himself. After the court advised defendant of the risks and disadvantages of self-representation pursuant to People v. Arguello, 772 P.2d 87 (Colo.1989), defendant waived his right to representation and chose to proceed pro se, effective December 10, 2001. The court appointed attorney R.W. as advisory counsel.

At a hearing on January 14, 2002, defendant appeared at times confused and became argumentative. The next day the trial court, over defendant’s vigorous objection, ordered a competency evaluation.

In March 2002, after evaluating defendant and adjusting his medications, a doctor at the Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo (CMHIP) .opined that defendant was competent to stand trial. In April 2002, based on this evidence, the trial court found defendant competent to proceed. At a hearing nine days later, defendant asked that R.W. be appointed to represent him. The trial court did so.

In February 2003, about one month before his scheduled trial date, defendant accused R.W. of using'drugs and requested new counsel. The trial court did not find the allegations to be true but nevertheless determined that an actual conflict existed and allowed R.W. to withdraw. The court appointed attorney S.M. to represent defendant' and continued the trial date to allow time to prepare a defense.

In December 2003, about one month before his rescheduled trial, defendant accused S.M. of failing to communicate with him. The trial judge (Judge Kane) requested a different judge (Judge Martinez) to hear the matter. On December 11, 2003, Judge Martinez determined that S.M. had not .failed to communicate with defendant and therefore no conflict existed.

On December 16, before Judge Kane, defendant again requested appointment of a new attorney. The court responded that defendant could either be represented by the appointed attorney or represent himself. The court advised defendant of the risks and disádvantages of self-representation pursuant to Arguello, and defendant stated that he still wished to proceed pro se. However, defendant also made additional allegations of misconduct against attorney S.M. Accordingly, Judge Kane set another conflict hearing before Judge Martinez and delayed ruling on defendant’s request.

At a hearing on December 18, 2003, Judge Martinez determined that no conflict existed and refused to .appoint a different attorney. Defendant stated that he wanted to represent himself. Judge Martinez gave an Ar-guello advisement and defendant stated that he understood the risks but nonetheless wanted to represent himself. Among other inquiries, Judge Martinez asked defendant if he- was under the influence of any medications, Defendant answered that he was on medications to control epilepsy. The following colloquy then ensued:

[1093]*1093THE COURT: Do [your medications for epilepsy] affect your ability to think clearly?
MR. WILSON: No, I am quite competent and in full control of my faculties, each and every one.

After completing the Arguello advisement, Judge Martinez stated:

[T]he Court will find that the defendant is making a knowing, intelligent waiver of his rights to be represented by counsel and that he will be able to present his own defense.

The same day, Judge Kane held another hearing on .defendant’s request to proceed without an attorney. After referencing his earlier Arguello advisements, Judge Kane asked defendant if it was still his decision to represent himself. Defendant responded:

Yes, it is, Your Honor, and I will Have control of all my faculties.... I do understand my rights and I am in control of my faculties. I am not under any mind altering drugs, And it is my desire to dismiss counsel....

Judge Kane then found:

I am persuaded Mr. Wilson has made a knowing, informed decision to represent himself, that he understands the disadvantage of representing himself, that it is his desire to, despite those disadvantages, to represent himself, and he has that right. I am persuaded that this is a knowing, informed decision made intelligently, and I am going to allow current counsel ... to withdraw. Mr. Wilson will represent himself.
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I will find this is [a] voluntary decision on his part, and I find that Mr. Wilson is competent to make this decision. His comments in court are on point. He has been evaluated for competency to proceed, much, much to his dismay, or over his objection, when it happened. I am persuaded he is competent.

The. court continued the trial date to May 10, 2004, and defendant represented himself until May 4, 2004, when he asserted that he was not competent to present his case at trial. Defendant requested an evaluation for competency and appointment of counsel to represent him in the case. The trial court ordered a second competency evaluation and again continued the trial.

In June 2004, a CMHIP doctor opined that defendant was incompetent to stand trial because jail personnel had'dropped Trileptal from his medication regimen. The trial court, based on this evidence, determined that defendant was incompetent to proceed to trial.

In September 2004, the CMHIP doctor opined that defendant had been restored to competency, so long as he took certain prescribed medications, including Trileptal.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
397 P.3d 1090, 2011 WL 2474295, 2011 Colo. App. LEXIS 2172, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-wilson-coloctapp-2011.