State v. Gonzalez-Villarreal

¶ 1. Jose O. Gonzalez-Villarreal appeals a nonfinal order of the circuit court removing Michael J. Knoeller as his defense counsel. Gonzalez-Villarreal, through Attorney Knoeller, argues that the circuit court denied him his Sixth Amendment right to choose his counsel by disqualifying Attorney Knoeller for acting as both defense counsel and translator during a police interview. Gonzalez-Villarreal petitioned this court for permission to appeal that order. We granted permission by an order dated February 21, 2012.1

*475BACKGROUND

¶ 2. On August 13, 2009, Gonzalez-Villarreal,2 a Spanish-speaker, was…