Opinion ID: 2520105
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Right to speedy trial under the IAD

Text: [¶ 16] Mr. Odhinn claims his right to speedy trial under the IAD was violated in that he was not brought to trial within 180 days of his request for final disposition as required. He asserts, and the state agrees, the time commenced to run on November 27, 2000, the date the Albany county prosecutor received his request for final disposition of the Wyoming charges. He claims Wyoming had until May 27, 2001, to bring him to trial. Given that he was not even returned to Wyoming until December 27, 2001, seven months after the asserted May 27, 2001 deadline, Mr. Odhinn claims the IAD was violated. The state argues the delay in bringing Mr. Odhinn to trial in Wyoming resulted from his actions in refusing to sign a waiver of extradition in April of 2001 and appealing the denial of his petition for writ of habeas corpus. The state asserts the district court properly held Mr. Odhinn was unable to stand trial in Wyoming during these periods and good cause existed for continuing the speedy trial date from November 27, 2000 to December 27, 2001. [¶ 17] The IAD is a compact among forty-eight states, the federal government and the District of Columbia creating uniform procedures for lodging and executing detainers. Alabama v. Bozeman, 533 U.S. 146, 148, 121 S.Ct. 2079, 150 L.Ed.2d 188 (2001). Wyoming and Nebraska are participating states. Wyoming's version of the IAD is promulgated in Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 7-15-101 (LexisNexis 2003). The Act provides a uniform procedure whereby persons who are serving prison sentences in one state, and who are also charged with crimes in another state, can be tried for the pending charges while they are serving their current sentences. Reed, 2003 Neb. LEXIS 145. It is intended to provide for expeditious delivery of the prisoner to the receiving State for trial prior to the termination of his sentence in the sending State and seeks to minimize the consequent interruption of the prisoner's ongoing prison term. Alabama, 533 U.S. at 148, 121 S.Ct. 2079. As stated in Article I of the Act: The party states find that charges outstanding against a prisoner, detainers based on untried indictments, informations or complaints, and difficulties in securing speedy trials of persons already incarcerated in other jurisdictions, produce uncertainties which obstruct programs of prisoner treatment and rehabilitation. Accordingly, it is the policy of the party states and the purpose of this agreement to encourage the expeditious and orderly disposition of such charges and determination of the proper status of any and all detainers based on untried indictments, informations or complaints. Section 7-15-101 (emphasis added). Because the IAD is a congressionally sanctioned interstate compact, it is a federal law subject to federal construction. Knox, 34 F.3d at 966. United States Supreme Court interpretations of the Agreement are thus binding on state courts. Reed, 2003 Neb. LEXIS at 646. The Act itself requires that it shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate its purposes. Section 7-15-101, Art. IX. [¶ 18] The IAD contains two procedures for effectuating expeditious prosecution of charges filed in one state while a person is serving a sentence in another state. The first, contained in Article III, allows a prisoner against whom a detainer is lodged to initiate the process for disposition of charges outstanding in another state. The second, contained in Article IV, allows the authorities in the state where the charges are pending to initiate the process for returning a prisoner to that state for trial. In this case, Mr. Odhinn initiated the process for final disposition of the Wyoming charges by signing IAD Form II. Therefore, our review focuses on the Article III procedure. [¶ 19] Article III of the Wyoming IAD provides in relevant part as follows: