McNeal v. Culver

• Decision Date: 01 July 1959
• Citation: 113 So.2d 381
• Parties: Elijah McNEAL, Jr., Petitioner, v. R. O. CULVER, as State Prison Custodian, Respondent.
• Court: Florida Supreme Court

Page 381

113 So.2d 381

Elijah McNEAL, Jr., Petitioner, v. R. O. CULVER, as State Prison Custodian, Respondent.

Supreme Court of Florida.

July 1, 1959.

Elijah McNeal, Jr., in pro. per., petitioner.

Richard W. Ervin, Atty. Gen., and Odis M. Henderson, Asst. Atty. Gen., for respondent.

THOMAS, Chief Justice.

Upon the representation of the petitioner that he was denied the services of an attorney when he was placed on trial for assault with intent to commit murder in the first degree and was refused a copy of the information charging him with that offense, the court issued a writ of habeas corpus directing the respondent to make a proper return.

The matter is now ready for disposition on the writ and the answer of the respondent, prison custodian, that the petitioner is held under a commitment issued 1 April 1958 by the Judge of the Criminal Court of Record of Polk County, Florida, ordering him safely to keep and confine the petitioner for 20 years. Made a part of the return is a photostatic copy of the testimony produced at the trial and parts of the record necessary to an understanding of the procedure such as the minutes showing arraignment and judgment of the court.

Nothing whatever appears in this record of the trial to show whether or not any request was made of the trial judge to appoint counsel to aid the petitioner in his defense. No obligation is put upon a trial judge by statute to appoint an attorney for an accused except in capital cases, Sec. 909.21, Florida Statutes 1955, and F.S.A.; Johnson v. Mayo, 158 Fla. 264, 28 So.2d 585, certiorari denied 329 U.S. 804, 67 S.Ct. 492, 91 L.Ed. 687; Johnson v. Mayo, Fla., 40 So.2d 134, and no absolute responsibility rested on the judge trying the case to inquire about the wish of the defendant to have the services of legal counsel, Bute v. People of State of Illinois, 333 U.S. 640, 644, 68 S.Ct. 763, 92 L.Ed. 986, although we have recognized the practice of asking a defendant whether or not he desired a lawyer and of providing one if that was his wish. Sneed v. Mayo, Fla., 66 So.2d 865.

Not only was there a lack of evidence in the record indicating that the petitioner was unable to defend himself but circumstances are reflected showing that we should indulge the presumption that the contrary was the case. The charge was simple and so was the evidence introduced to support it.

After the petitioner had an altercation with the proprietor in an establishment that appears to have been a 'jook', called the 'Blue Chip', he withdrew to his quarters, and, more effectively to renew the feud, reappeared armed with a shotgun loaded with fine shot. When he was within range of his late adversary he fired missing his target and wounding four other persons. His aim was wretched despite six years service in the army where, he says, he became a sharpshooter.

At the time of his trial he was 29 years of age.

So it cannot accurately be said that the issues were so complex, or the petitioner was so young, ignorant and inexperienced, as to bring into play the exception to the rule requiring appointment of counsel only in capital cases and to require further inquiry into the procedure culminating in his conviction and sentence. Rice v. Olson, 324 U.S. 786, 65 S.Ct. 989, 89 L.Ed. 1367; Uveges v. Com. of Pennsylvania, 335 U.S. 437, 69 S.Ct. 184, 93 L.Ed. 127; Sneed v. Mayo, su...