State v. Hager

GRAHAM, Judge.

Defendant contends his constitutional right to counsel was violated in that counsel was not provided for him at a preliminary hearing. In support of this contention he cites Coleman v. Alabama, 399 U.S. 1, 26 L. Ed. 2d 387, 90 S.Ct. 1999 (1970). In that case, the Supreme Court of the United States held that a preliminary hearing is a critical stage of the prosecution so as to constitutionally require the furnishing of counsel to protect the rights of a defendant. The case was remanded to the Alabama Supreme Court for a determination of whether the failure to provide counsel for…