State v. Williams
Decision Date | 29 November 1926 |
Docket Number | 28235 |
Citation | 162 La. 590,110 So. 766 |
Court | Louisiana Supreme Court |
Parties | STATE v. WILLIAMS |
Appeal from Twenty-First Judicial District Court, Parish of Tangipahoa; Columbus Reid, Judge.
Clarence Williams was convicted of rape, and he appeals.
Affirmed.
M. J Allen and H. R. Reid, both of Amite, for appellant.
Percy Saint, Atty. Gen., and Percy T. Ogden, Asst. Atty. Gen. (E R. Schowalter, Asst. Atty. Gen., of counsel), for the State.
Appellant was indicted and tried for the crime of rape. He was found guilty without capital punishment, and was sentenced to life imprisonment in the state penitentiary.
The transcript contains two bills of exception, in which complaint is made of the action of the trial judge in refusing to grant defendant's motion for a continuance and to allow him a new trial, on the ground that his counsel appointed by the court had not sufficient time to investigate the case and to prepare his defense.
The record shows that when defendant was arraigned, three weeks prior to the date fixed for the trial, he appeared without counsel. At that time he was asked by the trial judge if he desired the court to assign him counsel. His answer was that he was negotiating with a lawyer to represent him. Defendant was then instructed by the court, that, should he be unable to secure a lawyer, to so advise the court, who would appoint one to represent him. The court did not receive any notice that defendant had no attorney until the day fixed for the trial, when he appeared in court unrepresented by counsel. At that time defendant informed the trial judge, in response to his questions, that he had no lawyer and no witnesses to be summoned. Whereupon, the court assigned three members of the bar to represent the defendant, and the case was continued until the next day.
On the following day a motion was filed for a continuance on the ground that the counsel appointed by the court had no knowledge of their appointment until the morning of said day just before the case was called for trial, and that they should be given time in which to investigate the case and make a proper defense, they having less than an hour in which to discuss the case with the defendant. This motion was not supported by affidavit of either defendant or of his counsel. It set forth no special cause for delay. After the verdict of the jury and before sentence, a motion was made for a new trial, but no attempt was made in the application to show wherein the refusal of the judge to continue the case had injured the defendant.
The statement per curiam, attached to bill of exception No. 2, shows that:
The following language of the opinion in State v. Satcher, 124 La. 1015, 50 So. 835, is appropriate here, viz.:
"If,...
To continue reading
Request your trial-
State v. Oberst
... ... appointment. 'If he fails to request the appointment of ... counsel, he cannot afterwards complain of being ... unrepresented.' (Wharton's Crim. Pl. and Pr. 9th Ed., ... sec. 558.)" (See, also, State v. Moore, 121 Mo ... 514, 26 S.W. 345; State v. Williams, [La.] 110 So ... In ... State v. Butchek, 121 Ore. 141, 253 P. 367, it was ... "In ... a prosecution for murder, defendant's right to counsel ... guaranteed by Const., art. 1, sec. 11, held not violated by ... defendant's failure to obtain counsel, where right to ... ...
-
State v. Hilaire
... ... 381; State v. Ziord, 30 La.Ann. 867; State v. Doyle, 36 La.Ann. 91; State v. Perry, 48 La.Ann. 651, 19 So. 684, and authorities there cited; State v. Whitesides, 49 La.Ann. 352, 21 So. 540; State v. Sims, 117 La. 1036, 42 So. 494; State v. Charles, 130 La. 683, 58 So. 509; State v. Williams, 162 La. 590, 110 So. 766; State v. Davis, 171 La. 449, 131 So. 295, and where the defendant, charged with a felony, pleads guilty (except in capital cases where such pleas are prohibited under our law) without the assistance of counsel, he has no valid cause for complaint, State v. Crane, 121 La ... ...
-
State v. Leahy
... ... should not be interfered with, except when it appears that he ... has abused the discretion vested in him, and no abuse of his ... discretion appears in the present case. State v ... White, 156 La. 784, 101 So. 136; State v ... Dwyer, 159 La. 399, 105 So. 410; State v ... Williams, 162 La. 590, 110 So. 766; State v ... Scruggs, 165 La. 842, 116 So. 206; State v ... Taylor, 167 La. 1113, 120 So. 875 ... Bill ... This ... bill reads as follows: ... 'That ... on the trial of this cause on the 31st day of March, 1932, ... the State of ... ...
-
State v. Stafford
...See also: State v. Murry, 165 La. 653, 115 So.2d 813 (1928); State v. McCrary, 164 La. 1057, 115 So. 268 (1928); State v. Williams, 162 La. 590, 110 So. 766 (1926); State v. Satcher, 124 La. 1015, 50 So. 835 As the cited decisions show, an accused's unexplained replacement of his counsel on......