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Constitutional Law Keyed to Choper
Douglas v. California
Citation:
372 U.S. 353 (1963)Facts
Petitioners William Douglas and Bennie Will Meyes were jointly tried and convicted of 13 felonies in a California court. During trial, they had dismissed their appointed public defender, claiming he was unprepared, and their motions for separate counsel and continuance were denied. After conviction, they exercised their right to appeal to the California District Court of Appeal. Being indigent, they requested appointed counsel for their appeal. Following California’s rule of criminal procedure, the appellate court conducted an ex parte examination of the record and determined that appointment of counsel would not be advantageous to the defendants or helpful to the court. Their appeal was heard without counsel, and their convictions were affirmed. The California Supreme Court denied discretionary review.
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