People v. Lewis

Summary

The Court held that defendant made a timely and unequivocal request to represent himself, triggering the trial court's duty to conduct an inquiry into whether his waiver of counsel was knowing, voluntary, and intelligent. Because the court denied the request without conducting that inquiry and improperly deferred consideration until trial, defendant's constitutional right to self-representation was violated, requiring a new trial. The Court declined to reach the merits of defendant's legal-sufficiency challenge because it was unpreserved.