Johnson v. State

OPINION

Richard Christopher Johnson appeals his conviction, pursuant to a jury verdict, of second-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon. Johnson contends that: (1) his court-appointed trial counsel violated his Sixth Amendment 2 rights; (2) the district court violated his Sixth Amendment rights by refusing to allow him to represent himself; and (3) the district court erred in concluding that he was not entitled to a new trial based on the State’s alleged failure to preserve videotape evidence.

In accord with a majority of jurisdictions that have addressed similar issues, we conclude…