Terry Blankenship, Appellant v. the State of Texas, Appellee

Summary

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals reversed the conviction of Terry Blankenship, holding that the trial judge erred in denying his Sixth Amendment right to represent himself pro se. The Court found the request was unconditional and that the trial court failed to make the required thorough inquiry into a knowing and intelligent waiver. The judgment of the Court of Appeals was reversed and the case remanded. Justice Clinton concurred in the judgment, noting the issue was closer than the majority described.