Cousins v. State

On the day before his robbery trial was to begin in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, Earl Sylvester Cousins asked to discharge his court-appointed counsel. In accordance with Md. Rule 4-215(e), the court allowed Mr. Cousins to explain the reasons for his request, but found that he did not have good cause to discharge counsel. The court proceeded to inform Mr. Cousins that the trial would proceed as scheduled and that he would have to represent himself if he discharged his counsel. Mr. Cousins said that he would discharge his counsel and represent himself.

When the trial began the…