Robinson v. Tobin

Petitioner, who is a defendant in a criminal proceeding below, has petitioned for a writ of certiorari to review an order removing defendant’s specially appointed assistant public defender. We grant the petition and quash the trial court’s order.

Defendant is charged with first degree murder and other offenses. The public defender certified that a conflict of interest existed between defendant and his three codefendants. The trial judge to whom the matter was initially assigned appointed a special assistant public defender to represent defendant. See § 27.53(3), Fla.Stat. (1987). Soon…