P. v. Martin CA2/7
Following a trial at which Centia Renee Martin represented herself and did not testify, a jury convicted Martin of first degree murder and found true an allegation she personally used a firearm during the commission of the offense. Martin argues the trial court erred by initially denying her request under Faretta v. California (1975) 422 U.S. 806 to represent herself. Martin also contends the trial court violated her right to testify by denying her request to play a video recording of her post-arrest police interrogation in lieu of live direct testimony.
We conclude the trial court did not err in denying Martin’s initial request to represent herself because her request was not unequivocal. We also conclude the trial court did not violate Martin’s right to testify because the court properly excluded the video recording as inadmissible hearsay and Martin, despite receiving every opportunity to testify at trial, chose not to do so. Therefore, we affirm.
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