People v. Collins

Opinion

GEORGE, C. J.

In this case we must determine the validity of a criminal defendant’s waiver of a jury trial, when the trial court, in advising the defendant before accepting the waiver, informed him that he would receive “some benefit” if he waived his right to a jury trial, although the court could not specify what the benefit would be. The Court of Appeal, in a divided decision, determined that the jury waiver obtained under these circumstances was valid. We conclude that the waiver of a jury trial obtained by a trial court’s assurance of an unspecified benefit is not a valid waiver,…