NOT THE SHARPEST KNIFE IN THE DRAWER: “I Helped My Client By Not Arguing His Case In Court”: Defense Attorney
When criminal defense attorney Christopher Hoover refused to participate in his client's defense in court on a misdemeanor DUI charge, the TX Court of Criminal Appeals later ruled that the client, Darrell Cannon, had been denied his constitutional right to effective assistance of counsel – which had been Hoover’s plan all along. The attorney requested a continuance because an expert witness was unavailable to testify on the scheduled trial date, but the judge denied the motion because Hoover had not alerted the court that the witness was not present. Hoover’s case was the last one scheduled for the day, and he didn’t think the judge would get to it. So, he determined his only option was not to “do anything at all” to help his client, reports Texas Lawyer. Hoover could be disciplined by the State Bar of TX for his, um, unorthodox trial strategy.
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