People v. Fisher

Presiding Justice Knecht and Justice Steigmann concurred in the judgment and opinion.

OPINION

A jury found defendant, Tyrese Fisher, guilty of a criminal drug conspiracy (720 ILCS 570/405.1 (West 2008)), and the trial court sentenced him to imprisonment for 14 years. Defendant appeals on several grounds, only one of which is necessary for us to consider. We agree with defendant’s argument that the trial court denied him his constitutional right to self-representation and thereby committed a structural error.

If a defendant makes a timely and unequivocal choice to proceed pro se in a criminal…