Wooten-Bey v. State

BLACKWELL, Judge.

In this criminal case, we are asked to determine whether the trial judge improperly prohibited attorney-client discussions during a lunch recess, allegedly in violation of the defendant’s right to the assistance of counsel under the Sixth Amendment. We hold there is no constitutional violation under the circumstances.

The relevant portion of the record which contains the issue is found at the end of defense counsel’s direct examination of petitioner, Ronald Nathaniel Wooten-Bey (Wooten-Bey). The following colloquy occurred:

MR. CHRISTMAS (Defense Counsel): Your honor, I think I…