Penn v. State

ALTENBERND, Judge.

Lathesia Penn appeals her judgment of conviction for third-degree grand theft and the resulting thirty-eight month term of probation. She raises five issues on appeal. We address only one issue: Ms. Penn is entitled to a new trial because the court did not conduct a preliminary Nelson inquiry after hearing that Ms. Penn wanted to discharge her lawyer. See Nelson v. State, 274 So.2d 256 (Fla. 4th DCA 1973). 1

In November 2006, Ms. Penn allegedly convinced a man that she was a licensed accountant and could help him start a trucking business and resolve some tax issues necessary…