USA v. Armando Benitez-Casa
Filing
UNPUBLISHED OPINION FILED. [10-50968 Affirmed ] Judge: TMR , Judge: JES , Judge: ECP Mandate pull date is 09/12/2011 for Appellant Armando Benitez-Casas [10-50968]
Case: 10-50968
Document: 00511578532
Page: 1
Date Filed: 08/22/2011
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
United States Court of Appeals
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
Fifth Circuit
FILED
No. 10-50968
Summary Calendar
August 22, 2011
Lyle W. Cayce
Clerk
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
versus
ARMANDO BENITEZ-CASAS, also known as Raul Valenzuela,
Defendant-Appellant.
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Western District of Texas
USDC No. 3:10-CR-681-1
Before REAVLEY, SMITH, and PRADO, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Armando Benitez-Casas was convicted by a jury of one count of illegally
*
Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not
be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR.
R. 47.5.4.
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Document: 00511578532
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Date Filed: 08/22/2011
No. 10-50968
reentering the United States after having been previously removed. He claims
the district court failed adequately to inquire about his request for new counsel,
depriving him of his Sixth Amendment right to counsel, so the conviction should
be vacated. Benitez-Casas argues that the lack of communication with his attorney prevented him from presenting an adequate defense.
The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to counsel at all critical stages
of the prosecution. The right to choose an attorney does not extend to defendants who have appointed counsel. See United States v. Gonzalez-Lopez, 548
U.S. 140, 151 (2006). Moreover, “[t]he freedom to have counsel of one’s own
choosing may not be used for purposes of delay,” and “[l]ast minute requests are
disfavored.” United States v. Silva, 611 F.2d 78, 79 (5th Cir. 1980). We review
Sixth Amendment claims de novo, id., but where the Sixth Amendment has not
been violated, we review the refusal to appoint substitute counsel for abuse of
discretion, United States v. Simpson, No. 09-30075, 2011 WL 2473618, at *5 (5th
Cir. June 23, 2011).
“Substitute counsel should be appointed only for ‘good cause.’” Id. (citing
United States v. Young, 482 F.2d 993, 995 (5th Cir. 1973)). “In order to warrant
a substitution of counsel during trial, the defendant must show good cause, such
as a conflict of interest, a complete breakdown in communication or an irreconcilable conflict which leads to an apparently unjust verdict.” Id. “If a court
refuses to inquire into a seemingly substantial complaint about counsel when
[the court] has no reason to suspect the bona fides of the defendant, or if on discovering justifiable dissatisfaction a court refuses to replace the attorney, the
defendant may then properly claim denial of his Sixth Amendment right.” Id.
(internal quotation marks and citation omitted).
The record does not reflect that there was a conflict of interest, irreconcilable conflict, or complete breakdown of communication between Benitez-Casas
and his attorney. Even if the last colloquy between the court and Benitez-Casas
regarding dissatisfaction with the attorney fell short of the otherwise applicable
2
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Document: 00511578532
Page: 3
Date Filed: 08/22/2011
No. 10-50968
requirement, Benitez-Casas’s complaints, when considered in the context of the
proceedings, were not “seemingly substantial” such that further inquiry was
required. See id.
AFFIRMED.
3
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