gideon v. wainwright (1963) clarence earl gideon was arrested for breaking into a florida pool hall...
TRANSCRIPT
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Clarence Earl Gideon was arrested for breaking into a Florida Pool Hall to commit larceny
( Bay Harbor Pool Hall)
Clarence Earl Gideon
At trial- Gideon requested a court appointed lawyer (He couldn’t afford his own)
Judge refused his request
Florida only provided free counsel if your case involved “special circumstances” (death penalty, unusually complex, illiterate, insanity, etc.)
Gideon conducted his own defense
He was found guilty and sentenced to 5 years in prison(had previous convictions)
Raiford PrisonVerdict?????????
While in prison Gideon submitted a handwritten appeal
US Supreme Court agrees to hear his case
Abe Fortas is appointed to represent him before the SC
The Supreme Court decided Gideon did not receive a fair trial
The SC orders a new trial- this time with a lawyer
(same courtroom, same judge)
Abe Fortas
Chief Justice
Earl Warren
Tom Clark Hugo Black Earl Warren William Douglas John Harlan (Chief Justice)
Byron White William Brennan Potter Stewart Arthur Goldberg
U.S. Supreme Court (1963)
New trial-
Verdict??????
Found Not Guilty
Significance: Established a person’s right to a court appointed lawyer (if you can’t afford your own) to ensure a fair trial