Petitioner's desire to represent himself was sufficiently unequivocal in rejecting all public defenders and stating that he couldn't afford private counsel. State Habeas denial grounded on the timeliness of the request for self representation was contrary to, or an unreasonable application of federal constitutional law, as there was a clear right to self-representation, since the request was made some weeks before trial. Appellate counsel provided ineffective assistance, as second pro-se request hadn't been included in the appellate record.
Dissent: "Weeks before trial" is too vague to say that no reasonable jurist could have denied the habeas. Brief appearance of private counsel presented timing problems and put into question the unequivocal nature of the request.
http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2018/07/06/16-15832.pdf
Since 2011. An occasional commonplacing of the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal.
Neither an authoritative statement of the law nor legal advice. Quick work.