Gregory Gould appeals following his conviction of burglary, rape and armed robbery.
1. It was not error for the trial court to deny counsel’s motion to
“[A]n indigent criminal defendant does not have an absolute right to discharge one court-appointed counsel and have another substituted in his place. A request of this sort addresses itself to the sound discretion of the trial court.”
Burney v. State,
2. Gould exercised his right оf self-representation when he insisted upon being allowed to cross-examine several of the witnesses. When he questioned the prosecuting witness as to certain emotional quеstions, e.g., her awareness of the dimensions of his private parts, the district attorney objected to his irrelevant and outrageous questions and the court ordered the jury be removed from the courtroom. The judge then addressed the defendant and stated, “I want to warn you as a trial judge for ten years, it’s my opinion you are seriously damaging your case. You are burying yourself. You’re antagonizing this jury and you would do well to let Mr. Harris handle this case without your interference.” The defendant then requested the court to stop the case and let his family retain counsel for him. The court refused and warned him that if he did not ask pertinent questions he would be stopped and repeated the warning that he was harming himself by questioning the witness. After the defendant attempted to raise a matter previously ruled upon by the court, the judge repeated his warning for a third time. The defendant insisted that he be permitted to continue to cross-examine the witness. After counsel cross-examined the detective who investigated the case,
The grant or denial of a motion for a mistrial is largely within the discretion of the trial cоurt and its ruling will not be disturbed on appeal unless it is apparent that the grant of a mistrial is essential to preserve the defendant’s right to a fair trial.
Stanley v. State,
3. Gould contends the trial court erred in denying his general motion for a directed verdict. The evidence showed that the victim made an immediate outcry following her rape and there was medicаl
Circumstantial evidence established the defendant’s guilt as to the theft of $41 from the victim’s pocketbook, some change in a purse and a ring. As therе was evidence of forced entry into the apartment, of the defendant’s presence in the apartment and of his later demand for money, there was sufficient evidence to permit the burglary count to go to the jury.
As for the evidence to support the armed robbery charge, we find that it was insufficient. OCGA § 16-8-41 (Code Ann. § 26-1902) defines armed robbery: “A person commits the offense of armed robbery when, with intent to commit theft, he takes property of another from the person or the immediate presence of another by the use of an offensive weapon...” The evidence showed that the money was taken from the victim’s purse in the dining room and the ring was taken from her daughter’s bedroom. The victim never entered these rooms while the dеfendant was present in her home as she was awakened by her attacker while she slept in the living room. When he demanded money she stated, “ T don’t have any, I guess you’ve, already got, you know, the money.’ I started towards the dining room and he told me no ... He said to give him the money. I said I don’t have anymore. I said, T don’t get paid until Friday. I don’t have anymore money.’ ” It is error for the trial court to refuse to direct a verdict where there is no conflict in the evidence and a verdict of acquittal is demanded as a matter of law. This court must utilize the “any evidence” tеst in reviewing the denial of a motion for a directed verdict.
Smith v. State,
4. The trial court did not err in striking the testimony of the psychiatrist as сontended by the defendant. Gould claims this testimony was essential to his defense of insanity and delusional compulsion. The doctor testified that the defendant suffers from a
Judgment affirmed in part and reversed in part.
