Opinion ID: 2389996
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: pre-accusatorial delay

Text: Since this claim was not argued before the trial justice, we would ordinarily remand this aspect of the case to the trial justice so that he might respond to the issues raised. However, we have examined the record of defendant's presentation before the trial justice and find that as a matter of law he could raise no basis for a denial of due process as required by United States v. Marion, supra . In United States v. Marion the Court held that the Sixth Amendment was not the appropriate instrument of protection in relation to pre-accusatorial delay. It went on to state that such a claim of pre-accusatorial delay may only be sustained by a showing that the government intentionally delayed to gain some tactical advantage over a defendant or to harass him or her and that there has been actual prejudice to the conduct of the defense. 404 U.S. at 325, 92 S.Ct. at 466, 30 L.Ed.2d at 481-82. Although the trial justice indicated that there might be some elements of selective prosecution in this case, he found no evidence of deliberate delay or actual prejudice to the defense. Consequently we conclude that defendant has made no showing before us, nor did he present such a showing before the trial justice, that would constitute a denial of due process for pre-accusatorial delay.