State v. Barnes

We granted the State’s request for a common law writ of certiorari to review a pretrial circuit court order in this capital retrial proceeding. We affirm the circuit court’s order.

Respondent’s first capital conviction and sentence were reversed on appeal because he was denied his constitutional right to represent himself at trial. State v. Barnes, 407 S.C. 27, 753 S.E.2d 545 (2014); see Faretta v. California, 422 U.S. 806, 95 S.Ct. 2525, 45 L.Ed.2d 562 (1975). In Barnes, the Court declined to adopt the heightened competency standard for a defendant who seeks to represent himself which is…