State v. Pedockie

2006 UT 28, 137 P.3d 716, 551 Utah Adv. Rep. 23, 2006 Utah LEXIS 69, 2006 WL 1303113
CourtUtah Supreme Court
DecidedMay 12, 2006
Docket20040746
StatusPublished
Cited by33 cases

This text of 2006 UT 28 (State v. Pedockie) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Utah Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Pedockie, 2006 UT 28, 137 P.3d 716, 551 Utah Adv. Rep. 23, 2006 Utah LEXIS 69, 2006 WL 1303113 (Utah 2006).

Opinion

PARRISH, Justice:

{1 Defendant Robert Brian Pedockie was charged with aggravated kidnapping, a first degree felony. During pretrial proceedings, Pedockie was represented by a string of various public defenders and private attorneys, all of whom either withdrew or were fired. Despite Pedockie's invocation of his Sixth Amendment right to counsel, the trial court allowed the trial to proceed with Pe-dockie representing himself. Pedockie was convicted and appealed.

T 2 The court of appeals held that Pedockie voluntarily waived his right to counsel through his dilatory conduct. It nevertheless reversed his conviction, holding that the waiver was not knowing and intelligent. We affirm the reversal of Pedockie's conviction, but on different grounds. Like the court of appeals, we recognize that an accused may voluntarily waive his right to counsel through his conduct. But we find no such voluntary waiver in this case.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

[ 3 We recite the facts in a manner consistent with the jury's verdict. On January 3, 2001, Pedockie and his cousin kidnapped Nicole Sather, Pedockie's ex-girlfriend. When Sather attempted to escape from Pedockie's truck, Pedockie's cousin shot at her, and Pedockie restrained her. The next day, Pe-dockie threatened to kill Sather and himself. When Pedockie stopped for gas, Sather escaped with the help of a gas station employee. Pedockie was later arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping, a first degree felony, in violation of Utah Code section 76-5-302. 1

T4 At Pedockie's initial appearance on February 20, 2001, the trial judge found Pe-dockie indigent and appointed the Weber County Public Defenders Association ("PDA") to defend him. The judge also gave Pedockie a copy of the Information that had been filed and advised him of the charges against him and the potential penalties associated therewith. Pedockie requested disposition of his case according to the Speedy Trial Statute, which entitles a defendant who is imprisoned to be tried within 120 days of the request. 2 At a later hearing, the judge set Pedockie's jury trial for August 18, 2001.

15 On August 1, 2001, at the request of Pedockie's PDA attorney, who needed additional time to prepare, the trial judge continued the trial to December 10, 2001. The trial was subsequently continued to February 4, 2002, to accommodate a conflict in the prosecutor's schedule.

1 6 Scheduling conflicts, however, were not the only difficulties arising during pretrial proceedings. Difficulties between Pedockie and his attorneys were a recurring theme. Pedockie's first two PDA attorneys withdrew, through no fault of Pedockie, because one had a conflict of interest and the other lost his contract with the PDA. And less than a month before trial, Pedockie's third PDA attorney, James Retallick, also moved to withdraw.

T7 Retallick informed the trial judge that Pedockie was insisting that he file four motions that Retallick believed were "absolutely frivolous." Although Retallick had explained to Pedockie why he could not in good faith file the motions, Pedockie nevertheless believed that Retallick was not representing his best interests and requested the appointment of a PDA attorney who would file them. The trial judge explained that Pedockie did not have a right to "pick and choose" an attorney from the PDA, stating, "I can appoint an *719 attorney to work with you but if you don't want to accept his advice, you've either got to represent yourself or get your own attorney." Pedockie stated that he did not wish to proceed pro se and agreed to have Retal-lick continue the representation. The next day, however, Pedockie fired him.

18 A couple of weeks later, Pedockie requested that the judge release the PDA office because he had hired private attorney Ed Brass to represent him. Stating that Pedockie was entitled to legal representation, the trial judge granted his request and continued the trial to April 15, 2002, to give Brass time to prepare.

T9 Three days before trial, Brass moved to withdraw as counsel, stating that he had an ethical conflict with Pedockie that made representation impossible. Brass was unwilling to stay on the case as standby counsel because he did not believe that Pedockie was "sophisticated enough to handle a first degree felony trial" without full-time counsel. The trial judge reluctantly granted Brass's motion to withdraw, stating, "I want Mr. Pedockie to understand, I'm not gonna continue this case again.... [YJou either get an attorney who will represent you on the matter or you're just gonna represent yourself next time it's scheduled."

'I 10 On May 1, Pedockie appeared in court without an attorney and reported that he was still attempting to hire one. The judge continued the case until May 29 and again admonished Pedockie to get an attorney. But on May 29, Pedockie again appeared without counsel, explaining that he had been unable to find an attorney to file his motion for prosecutorial misconduct because "[elvery-body thinks it's unethical to bring."

[ 11 The trial judge warned Pedockie that he was going to set the case for trial and that Pedockie would have to get an attorney or proceed without one. Pedockie emphasized the seriousness of his case, explaining that "you're talking about my life at stake." The prosecutor asked the judge to make a record that Pedockie's "election to represent himself at the time of trial is voluntary and knowing." The judge responded that "the problem is he doesn't want to represent himself.... But on the other side, every time we give him an attorney or have him hire an attorney, the attorney withdraws." When Pedockie reiterated that he wanted another attorney appointed who would file his motions, the judge stated, "See, that's the problem. You need to start following the advice of the attorney that's representing you instead of you trying to tell him what to do."

T12 After scheduling trial for September 30, 2002, the trial judge informed Pedockie that he could hire a private attorney, but warned him that the trial would not be continued again. The trial judge also appointed standby counsel, but clarified that Pedockie was still responsible for filing and arguing his own motions.

118 At a July 31 hearing, Pedockie announced that he had hired Paul Grant as his attorney but that Grant had indicated he was going to withdraw. Pedockie asked the judge to appoint primary counsel who could assist him in arguing his motions, and the judge chastised him for his unwillingness to follow the advice of his prior attorneys. But when Pedockie persisted, the trial judge relented:

The Court: I can appoint the public defenders' office. I cannot pick and choose which attorney represents you. There are at least three people in that office that you've had, and now they no longer can represent you. So do you want the public defenders' office or not?
Mr. Pedockie: As of right now, I'd like to-I need a attorney-
The Court: Okay.
Mr. Pedockie:-Unless you're gonna-
The Court: I'll appoint the public defenders' office for the third time then. Okay.

A hearing on Pedockie's motions was then set for August 12.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2006 UT 28, 137 P.3d 716, 551 Utah Adv. Rep. 23, 2006 Utah LEXIS 69, 2006 WL 1303113, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-pedockie-utah-2006.