Commonwealth v. Houtz

OPINION BY GANTMAN, J.:

¶ 1 Appellant, Melanie Houtz, asks us to determine whether the trial court erred when it compelled her to proceed to trial without counsel and without first conducting a proper colloquy on the record pursuant to Pa.R.Crim.P. 121 to ensure her knowing, voluntary and intelligent waiver of counsel. We hold Appellant did not knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently waive her right to counsel, under prevailing Pennsylvania law. Accordingly, we vacate Appellant’s judgment of sentence, and remand the matter for a new trial.

¶2 The relevant facts and procedural history of this…