United States v. Jones, 20378.

Decision Date14 January 1971
Docket NumberNo. 20378.,20378.
Citation436 F.2d 971
PartiesUNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Herschel Smith JONES, Defendant-Appellant.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — Sixth Circuit

James P. Anderson (Court-appointed), Chattanooga, Tenn., for defendant-appellant; William C. Carriger, Chattanooga, Tenn., on brief; Strang, Fletcher, Carriger, Walker & Hodge, Chattanooga, Tenn., of counsel.

W. Lloyd Stanley, Jr., Asst. U. S. Atty., Chattanooga, Tenn., for plaintiff-appellee; John L. Bowers, Jr., U. S. Atty., Chattanooga, Tenn., on brief.

Before TOM C. CLARK, Associate Justice,* and EDWARDS and CELEBREZZE, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM.

Appellant Jones and his wife were jointly indicted on a charge of receiving and concealing stolen United States Postal Money Orders, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641 (1964). They were tried jointly and found guilty by a jury in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Southern Division. At trial they were both represented by the same appointed counsel. Both defendants testified. Appellant's testimony at trial represented a complete confession of his guilt and an attempt to exculpate his wife.

On this appeal (by the husband only), another appointed counsel argues that appellant was denied effective assistance of counsel by dint of the fact that one lawyer represented both husband and wife, defendants below. It is clear that no request for separate counsel was made in the court below, and that no motion for severance of the trial was made. Appellate counsel argues, however, that if the husband had been represented by separate counsel, he would more effectively have urged the husband not to take the witness stand.

Appellant now relies upon Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 62 S.Ct. 457, 86 L.Ed. 680 (1942), wherein the Supreme Court said:

"The `Assistance of Counsel\' guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment contemplates that such assistance be untrammeled and unimpaired by a court order requiring that one lawyer shall simultaneously represent conflicting interests." Glasser v. United States, supra at 70, 62 S.Ct. at 465.

In this same case the Supreme Court also said:

"Of equal importance with the duty of the court to see that an accused has the assistance of counsel is its duty to refrain from embarrassing counsel in the defense of an accused by insisting, or indeed, even suggesting that counsel undertake to concurrently represent interests which might diverge from those of his first client, when the possibility of that divergence is brought home to the court." Glasser v. United States, supra at 76, 62 S.Ct. at 467.

See also Craig v. United States, 217 F. 2d 355 (6th Cir. 1954); Lollar v. United States, 126 U.S.App.D.C. 200, 376 F.2d 243 (1967); 18 U.S.C. § 3006A(b) (Supp. V 1965).

As we see appellant's problems in this case, they had nothing to do with lack of effective legal...

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6 cases
  • Com. v. Davis
    • United States
    • United States State Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts Supreme Court
    • December 11, 1978
    ...and admissible proof of the defendant's guilt. See United States v. Wisniewski, 478 F.2d 274, 284 (2d Cir. 1973); United States v. Jones, 436 F.2d 971, 972 (6th Cir. 1971). Although we conclude that the defendant was not prejudiced in this particular case, we are acutely conscious of the pr......
  • Palmer v. Adams
    • United States
    • Connecticut Supreme Court
    • February 1, 1972
    ...much less an error of constitutional proportions, for one attorney to represent codefendants in a joint criminal trial. United States v. Jones, 436 F.2d 971 (6th Cir.); Gardner v. Wainwright, 433 F.2d 137, 139 (5th Cir.); Baker v. Wainwright,422 F.2d 145, 148 (5th Cir.); Watkins v. Wilson, ......
  • State v. Marion
    • United States
    • Connecticut Supreme Court
    • May 30, 1978
    ...680; United States v. Mandell, 525 F.2d 671, 677 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 423 U.S. 1049, 96 S.Ct. 774, 46 L.Ed.2d 637; United States v. Jones, 436 F.2d 971 (6th Cir.); Baker v. Wainwright, 422 F.2d 145, 148 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 399 U.S. 927, 90 S.Ct. 2243, 26 L.Ed.2d 794; Watkins v. W......
  • United States v. Fannon
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Fifth Circuit
    • March 15, 1974
    ...and his counsel knew, that the prosecution was in full possession of clear and admissible proof of his guilt. See United States v. Jones, 6th Cir. 1971, 436 F.2d 971, 972. The convictions Affirmed. * Rule 18, 5 Cir.; see Isbell Enterprises, Inc. v. Citizens Casualty Company of New York et a......
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