The Defendant: No, sir.
The Court: And you obviously haven’t been to law school. I tell people all the time, I’ve tried 150 jury trials when I was prosecutor and I wouldn’t represent myself. With that in mind, do you still wish to represent yourself?
(No response)
The Court: Mr. Shabazz?
The Defendant: Sir?
The Court: Do you still wish to represent yourself?
(No response)
The Court: I’ll ask you one more time. Do you still wish to represent yourself?
The Defendant: Your Honor, at this—I would like to continue to proceed with [counsel] at this time—. And so I can read this thing that he has—.
Hearing that Shabazz desired to continue with appointed counsel, the court then began to reschedule the motions and jury-trial settings to a subsequent date during the month of August. When Shabazz learned that the hearing on his motions would not be heard until August, the following colloquy between the court and Shabazz occurred:
The Defendant: On August 10?
The Court: August 10.
The Defendant: Oh, no, sir. If—. I would proceed for myself today instead of sit in jail, Your Honor. I’d rather proceed myself today.
The Court: You’d like to go to trial next Tuesday?
(No response)
The Court: That’s when your trial is set now.
4
