State v. Watson

Rocco, Judge.

This case is before the court on appeal from a judgment of the common pleas court finding appellant Howard Joseph Watson guilty of murder and sentencing him to imprisonment for a term of fifteen years to life. Appellant raises four assignments of error:

“I. Howard Joseph Watson was denied his Sixth Amendment [right] to self-representation when the trial court denied him the right to represent himself pro se.

“II. The trial court committed plain error when instructing the jury on voluntary manslaughter.

“HI. Howard Watson was denied effective assistance of counsel in violation of the…