State v. John J. Eddy

OPINION

Justice FLAHERTY,

for the Court.

Is a trial justice constitutionally required to appoint counsel to represent a pro se defendant who voluntarily absents himself from trial? We hold that neither the United States Constitution, nor article 1, section 10 of the Rhode Island Constitution mandates that counsel be appointed in such a situation. For the reasons set forth in this opinion, we affirm the judgment of conviction for three counts of first-degree child molestation sexual assault in violation of G.L.1956 § 11-37-8.1, 1 and two counts of first-degree sexual assault in violation of §…