Opinion ID: 3134848
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: Defendant was arrested on October 31, 1989, for possession of drugs. While in custody, he was questioned about a robbery and arson murder which occurred at McHugh’s tavern earlier that month. On the following day, defendant gave an assistant State’s Attorney a signed, handwritten statement admitting to the arson murder. Defendant was tried in the circuit court of Cook County and convicted of aggravated arson and first degree murder and sentenced to natural life imprisonment. On May 28, 1993, the appellate court reversed the convictions ( People v. Crane , 244 Ill. App. 3d 721 (1993)), finding that the testimony presented at the suppression hearing failed to establish probable cause for defendant’s arrest and, consequently, that the trial court erred when it denied defendant’s motion to suppress his confession. Defendant’s convictions were overturned and the matter was remanded for a new trial. The State petitioned this court for leave to appeal. We denied the petition on October 6, 1993. People v. Crane , 152 Ill. 2d 566 (1993). The State then filed a petition for a writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court. The appellate court’s mandate was recalled pending resolution of the State’s petition. 155 Ill. 2d R. 368. On February 28, 1994, the Unites States Supreme Court denied the State’s application. Upon receiving notification of the denial, the appellate court’s mandate should have been reissued. See 155 Ill. 2d R. 368. However, in this case the mandate was not transmitted to the circuit court until February 2, 1995. After the mandate was received, the case was placed on the circuit court docket. On March 15, 1995, defendant made his first appearance before the trial court. On that date, defendant’s attorney was unavailable and a continuance was granted to March 21, 1995. On March 21, 1995, defendant agreed to a May 31, 1995, trial date. On May 31, 1995, defendant answered ready and demanded trial. The case was continued on the State’s motion until July 31, 1995. On July 31, 1995, defendant moved for dismissal of the charges against him, alleging the State violated his constitutional right to a speedy retrial because “more than a reasonable length of time has elapsed since cert was denied by the U.S. Supreme Court.” Defendant also alleged his statutory right to a speedy retrial was violated because “more than 120 days has elapsed since [his] case was remanded.” On September 7, 1995, the trial court denied defendant’s motion for dismissal, giving no explanation for its decision. After other pretrial issues were resolved, defendant’s second trial commenced on October 15, 1996. (footnote: 1) Defendant again was found guilty of first degree murder and aggravated arson. He later was sentenced to a term of 75 years’ imprisonment on the murder conviction and a concurrent term of 30 years’ imprisonment for the aggravated arson. On appeal, the appellate court reversed defendant’s convictions. 307 Ill. App. 3d 816. Applying the balancing test set forth in Barker v. Wingo , 407 U.S. 514, 33 L. Ed. 2d 101, 92 S. Ct. 2182 (1972), the appellate court ruled that defendant’s constitutional right to a speedy retrial had been violated. In assessing defendant’s claim, the appellate court held: the delay in bringing defendant to trial after his convictions were reversed–a period of 26 months until defendant moved for dismissal–was presumptively prejudicial; that defendant did not waive his right to a speedy trial by his inaction; and that defendant was severely prejudiced because he remained incarcerated during the entire 26-month period. In addition, the appellate court held the unexplained delay of 11 months, though not a deliberate attempt to circumvent defendant’s speedy-trial rights, was unjustified. Based on this unexcused “lengthy delay,” the appellate court concluded that defendant had been denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial and dismissed the indictment. We granted the State’s petition for leave to appeal. 177 Ill. 2d R. 315(a).