State v. Tribble

¶ 1. Defendant challenges his conviction for first-degree murder following a jury trial, claiming that the trial court erred by (1) finding defendant competent to stand trial, (2) permitting defendant’s attorney to withdraw before jury selection, (3) allowing the trial to proceed in the absence of defendant, and (4) granting the State’s objections to the presentence investigation report. We reverse.

¶ 2. This case presents the unusual circumstance of a criminal trial of an unrepresented defendant who chose not to attend his trial — in other words, a trial with nobody sitting at the defense…