People v. Williams CA1/2

BACKGROUND

The Charges Against Defendant On July 21, 2010, defendant was taken into custody in connection with a double shooting that occurred in Brentwood six days earlier. Following a protracted preliminary

1 hearing, the District Attorney of Contra Costa County filed an information charging defendant with two counts each of attempted murder, shooting at an inhabited dwelling, and assault with a firearm, all with various great bodily injury and firearm enhancements. The matter was eventually set for a November 28, 2011 trial date, with defendant entering two limited time waivers in the meanwhile. In September 2011, attorney David Cohen, who had represented defendant since August 2010, sought to withdraw because defendant’s family was no longer able to pay his legal fees. On defendant’s motion, the court appointed Cohen as defendant’s private counsel at county expense. In support of the motion, Cohen represented that in the event he was appointed, he was prepared to proceed to trial as scheduled. Defendant Requests Two Trial Continuances and Enters Two More Time Waivers Despite Cohen’s prior representation that he was prepared to go to trial on November 28, in October 2011,…