Pressley v. State

Pressley, the appellant, and one Vass were indicted jointly for larceny and receiving stolen goods. At arraignment both pleaded not guilty. Each told the judge, when advised of his right to counsel, that he did not intend to retain a lawyer. The judge appointed counsel for Vass but told Pressley that he was old enough to represent himself or to seek his own lawyer.

*561When the case came on for trial some eleven days later, the trial judge appointed Vass’s lawyer to represent Pressley. Between the time of arraignment and trial, Vass decided to plead guilty to larceny, and after a conference with…