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United States v. Diaz-Rodriguez, 1st Cir. (2014)
United States v. Diaz-Rodriguez, 1st Cir. (2014)
No. 12-2424
UNITED STATES,
Appellee,
v.
FERNANDO DAZ-RODRGUEZ,
Defendant, Appellant.
Before
Thompson, Lipez, and Kayatta,
Circuit Judges.
Daz-Rodrguez
conclude
that
the
district
court
violated
Daz-
with
conviction.
present
counsel.
Accordingly,
we
vacate
the
sentencing issues.
I.
The crime in this case was vicious.1
Daz-Rodrguez was
likely would have killed the armed guard if his firearm had not
malfunctioned.
Daz-Rodrguez was arrested and indicted shortly after
the robbery, and his trial was scheduled to begin on May 3, 2011.
In April, the government learned that Daz-Rodrguez was having
difficulties with his counsel, Carlos Noriega, and consequently
might be seeking substitute counsel.2
government's
motion,
the
district
court
entered
summary
electronic order decreeing that "[a]t this late date defendant will
not be allowed to retain new counsel."
that
"the
essential
aspect
of
the
He also
attorney-client
another source."
On April 15,
his attorney.
And when that requirement is
affected the Attorney client privileges [sic]
disappear for good.
On April 16, the district court noted the motion and ordered that
trial nonetheless continue as scheduled.
The jury trial was conducted from April 16 to April 18.
The government introduced physical evidence, including DNA, and
called multiple witnesses, including a DNA expert.
Attorney
-5-
States v. Panzardi Alvarez, 816 F.2d 813, 815 (1st Cir. 1987)
(citing Powell v. Alabama, 287 U.S. 45 (1932)).
However, a
See United
that
procedure.").
will
obstruct
reasonable
and
orderly
court
United
States v. Woodard, 291 F.3d 95, 106 (1st Cir. 2002) (internal
quotation marks omitted).
We review a trial court's decision on a defendant's
request to substitute counsel for abuse of discretion.4
Woodard,
must
appropriate
conduct
an
inquiry
into
the
source
of
the
United States v.
Prochilo, 187 F.3d 221, 228-29 (1st Cir. 1999); see also United
States v. Allen, 789 F.2d 90, 92 (1st Cir. 1986) ("Where the
accused voices objections to appointed counsel, the trial court
should inquire into the reasons for the dissatisfaction.").5
Although we have held that "there is no invariable model for a
trial court's inquiry into an allegedly embattled attorney-client
relationship," we have consistently required some "probe into the
nature and duration of the asserted conflict." United States v.
Myers, 294 F.3d 203, 207 (1st Cir. 2002); see also Woodard, 291
F.3d at 107 (noting that "[t]he extent and nature of the inquiry
may vary in each case; it need not amount to a formal hearing");
Prochilo, 187 F.3d at 229 n.8 (noting that, at times, "a chambers
conference,"
"a
telephone
conference,"
or
even
simply
"the
appointed
counsel,
whereas
here
Noriega
was
still
Woodard, 291
Hence,
this duty to inquire applies with equal force whether the counsel
at issue is appointed or retained.7
Although we acknowledge
It is telling
that the government's motion did not even seek the relief the court
summarily
granted
--
an
order
forbidding
Daz-Rodrguez
from
have
held
that
"as
trial
approaches,
the
balance
of
(1st Cir. 2005). Here, however, the court did not conduct any such
balancing because the court heard only the government's version of
Daz-Rodrguez's problems with his attorney, and conducted no
inquiry into the nature of those problems. As we held in Prochilo,
"[b]ecause no inquiry was made, [we] [have] no basis in the record
for sustaining the trial court's rulings."
The
-10-
later, in late March and early April 2012, again just a few weeks
before the trial, which had been delayed due to Daz-Rodrguez's
medical treatment.
-11-
relationship.
Sixth Amendment requires some "probe into the nature and duration
of the asserted conflict").