Opinion ID: 1059907
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Violation of Rights to a Speedy Trial

Text: This brings us to Jackson's contention that his constitutional and statutory rights to a speedy trial have been violated. Jackson's trial did not begin within the periods fixed for a speedy trial by Code § 19.2-243 and it may not have begun within a period considered as constitutionally permissible under normal circumstances. However, we find no violation of those rights in these cases. As we have noted, every continuance was either on Jackson's motion alone or a motion he made jointly with the Commonwealth. Under these circumstances, we conclude that Jackson has waived his statutory and constitutional rights to a speedy trial. O'Dell v. Commonwealth, 234 Va. 672, 681, 364 S.E.2d 491, 496, cert. denied, 488 U.S. 871, 109 S.Ct. 186, 102 L.Ed.2d 154 (1988); see also Barker v. Wingo, 407 U.S. 514, 534, 92 S.Ct. 2182, 2194, 33 L.Ed.2d 101 (1972). Nevertheless, since the circuit court had no jurisdiction to try him on the October 1994 indictments, Jackson contends that the waivers of his speedy trial rights before his release on bond in October of 1995 were as void as those indictments. In deciding whether to transfer Jackson for proper criminal proceedings, Code § 16.1-269.1(2) requires the juvenile court to find that probable cause exists to believe that the juvenile committed the delinquent act as alleged. The delinquent acts alleged were the commissions of six felonies referred to earlier. Accordingly, Jackson's speedy trial rights attached upon that determination of probable cause. Compare Code § 16.1-269.1(2) with Code § 19.2-243 (speedy trial rights of an accused attach upon general district court's finding of probable cause to believe that the accused has committed a felony). It was those rights that Jackson waived in his motions for a continuance of the trial, not any right having to do with the validity of the indictments returned against him in the circuit court. For these reasons, we reject this contention.