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| Clarence Gideon. |
A man named Clarence Gideon was arrested for attempted burglary of a pool hall. Free counsel was only afforded to capital crimes so he represented himself. He was found guilty, but he wrote a petition from from jail, saying that the verdict violated his right to a fair trial, based on the fact that he did not have the funding (forma pauperis). It was a unanimous decision from the Supreme Court that anyone convicted of a crime should be afforded a lawyer. Although I think that Gideon deserved his time, it is obvious that counsel is needed in every case, based upon a US citizen's rights.
This video is footage of Clarence Gideon's initial court case. I apologize for the quality
The audio from the Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright. The justice sums up the importance of their decision and the background of the preceding case.
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