means through which the ... rights of the person on trial are secured.” United States v. Cronic, 466 U.S. 648, 653, 104 S.Ct. 2039, 80 L.Ed.2d 657 (1984). To establish a claim of denial of the right to counsel, a defendant “need only show that counsel was absent during a critical stage of the proceedings in order to establish the constitutional violation.” Green v. Arn, 809 F.2d 1257, 1263 (6th Cir.1987), cert. granted and judgment vacated on other grounds, 484 U.S. 806, 108 S.Ct. 52, 98 L.Ed.2d 17 (1987). Trial, sentencing, and direct appeal are all critical stages at which a defendant is entitled to counsel. See Smith v. State, 590 So.2d 1078, 1078 (Fla. 2d DCA 1991) (treating right to counsel at sentencing as a critical stage); Ford v. State, 575 So.2d 1335, 1337 (Fla. 1st DCA 1991) (<HOLDING>) (citing Douglas v. California, 372 U.S. 353,
holding that a defendant has a constitutional right to counsel as a matter of right on direct appeal holding that there is no right to counsel beyond the initial direct appeal and thus no right to counsel on discretionary review recognizing the right to counsel on appeal recognizing that a criminal defendants right to counsel is the right to the effective assistance of counsel recognizing that the sixth amendment guarantees a defendant the right to counsel and the right to waive counsel