Does a defendant have a right to speak in his own behalf?
MultiRegion, United States of America
The following excerpt is from Boardman v. Estelle, 957 F.2d 1523 (9th Cir. 1992):
California first argues that a defendant who elects to be represented by counsel has no right to speak in his own behalf. The California courts have adopted this view, finding no right of allocution for a represented defendant. "The [defendant] was represented by counsel and it was the function of that counsel, rather than of the defendant himself, to address the court on the defendant's behalf." People v. Cross, 213 Cal.App.2d 678, 682, 28 Cal.Rptr. 918 (1963).
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