Opinion ID: 792321
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Petitioner's Assertion of His Speedy Trial Rights

Text: 43 The third factor is Petitioner's assertion of his speedy trial rights. A defendant's assertion of his speedy trial right. . . is entitled to strong evidentiary weight in determining whether the defendant is being deprived of the right. Barker, 407 U.S. at 531-32, 92 S.Ct. 2182. The Sixth Circuit recognizes a request for bail as the functional equivalent of the request for a speedy trial. Redd v. Sowders, 809 F.2d 1266, 1271 (6th Cir.1987); Cain v. Smith, 686 F.2d 374, 384 (6th Cir.1982). 44 Petitioner points to several instances in which he made clear his interest in a speedy trial. On April 8, 1994, and again on April 29, 1994, Petitioner moved for release on bond. In those motions, he cited a violation of Michigan's 180-day rule and asserted that the delays in bringing the case to trial were not attributable to him. 6 Next, on December 24, 1994, Petitioner wrote a pro se letter to the court, complaining that the 180-day rule had not been complied with after his re-incarceration and complaining that his attorney had not raised the issue in November 1994. In addition to the letter, on December 23, 1994, the Petitioner filed a pro se motion to dismiss, with brief in support, for violation of his speedy trial right. Finally, on August 22, 1995, and September 20, 1995, Petitioner moved again for dismissal on grounds of speedy trial violation. 45 Respondent argues that the motion for release on bond should not be considered an assertion of the speedy trial right, because it did not seek an advanced trial date, and in addition, was negated by Petitioner's joining the entrapment motion. Respondent further argues that the December 1994/January 1995 communications came five months after the entrapment motion was adjudicated and therefore was untimely. 46 We disagree that these failings undermine Petitioner's assertions. As noted, this circuit has recognized a request for bail as an assertion of a speedy trial right. Redd v. Sowders, 809 F.2d 1266, 1271 (6th Cir.1987) ([A] request for reduction of bail is equivalent to a request for a speedy trial.); Cain v. Smith, 686 F.2d 374, 384 (6th Cir.1982). In this case, in his bond motions, Petitioner cited specifically to the Michigan rule requiring that the accused be brought to trial. As to the January 1995 motion to dismiss, Petitioner calculated his 180 days starting from May 23, 1994, when he was incarcerated for his parole violation, and determined that the period would be complete on November 22, 1994. According to his letter to the court, he asked counsel to raise the issue at the November 18, 1994, court proceeding. Just over a month later, he filed communication with the trial court. Considering the short gap of only one month, Petitioner was not untimely in filing the motion to dismiss at the beginning of January 1995. 47 Indeed, given how vigorously Petitioner asserted his right over the course of months from April 1994 to September 1995, we find that this factor weighs strongly in Petitioner's favor.