Opinion ID: 1963143
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: right to trial

Text: Over the objection of the respondents certain indictments charging respondents with the murder of Edward I. Morris and with entering a dwelling house without breaking were placed on file. In each instance the respondent demanded and was refused an immediate trial. The claim of error is unrelated to the convictions here under review and in a sense is premature. The record shows the demand made for speedy trial as was required by State v. Kopelow (1927), 126 Me. 384, 386, 138 A. 625. It will be available if and when the State moves for trial on the cases filed. We neither intimate nor suggest what our ruling might be if the issue should be tendered on a later prosecution. The filing of the cases during the time required for trial and review upon appeal of the companion cases now before us was reasonable and proper. However, in the light of the reasoning employed by the Supreme Court in the very recent case of Klopfer v. State of North Carolina (opinion March 13, 1967) 386 U.S. 213, 87 S.Ct. 988, 18 L.Ed.2d 1, it would appear that if, following certification of our decision in the instant case, either respondent should renew his motion for immediate trial as to either or both of the filed cases, the Court below should require the State to proceed to trial forthwith or dismiss the indictments in the cases now on file.