Opinion ID: 2633670
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: CrR 8.3(b)

Text: ś 128 The Court of Appeals remanded to the trial court for a determination of which counts aside from those added after Korum withdrew his plea should be dismissed under CrR 8.3(b) to provide a deterrent to prosecutorial vindictiveness. The majority reverses the Court of Appeals on this point, reasoning that Korum has not established prosecutorial vindictiveness and has not proved arbitrary action or misconduct required for a dismissal under CrR 8.3(b). ś 129 It is important not to blur these two separate inquires. CrR 8.3(b) provides that a court may dismiss any criminal prosecution due to arbitrary action or governmental misconduct when there has been prejudice to the rights of the accused which materially affect[s] the accused's right to a fair trial. The issue whether dismissal is proper based on prosecutorial vindictiveness is a distinct issue from whether charges should be dismissed under CrR 8.3(b), and a holding that a presumption of prosecutorial vindictiveness has not been established does not foreclose a claim under CrR 8.3(b). ś 130 A hypothetical example shows why this is the case. Imagine three codefendants who have engaged in a series of crimes, with each participating equally. The prosecutor engages in plea negotiations with each of the defendants, and makes the threat in each case that all possible counts will be filed if the defendant does not plead guilty. Ultimately, each of the defendants rejects a plea and exercises the right to a trial by jury. One of the three codefendants is represented by counsel who has undertaken to file every conceivable motion at every conceivable opportunity, making the prosecutor jump through every possible hoop, and has a difficult personality. As to the defendant represented by the difficult attorney, and as to that defendant only, the prosecutor carries out the threat to bring all possible counts, with the result being that this defendant faces charges that exceed those of his codefendants many times over. ś 131 This defendant is unlikely to prevail on a claim of prosecutorial vindictiveness, because his counsel has filed the routine pretrial motions that inevitably impose some burden on the prosecution. See Goodwin, 457 U.S. at 381, 102 S.Ct. 2485. However, he has a very good claim under CrR 8.3(b) that the prosecutor has acted arbitrarily as shown by the disparate treatment of the defendant represented by the unpleasant attorney in comparison to the other two defendants and in light of all the circumstances. ś 132 Prosecutorial vindictiveness should not be equated with misconduct under CrR 8.3(b). Whether Korum has established prosecutorial vindictiveness is not relevant to the question whether he is entitled to dismissal under CrR 8.3(b), contrary to the majority's suggestion. Instead, the Court of Appeals' remand for consideration of whether charges should be dismissed under CrR 8.3(b) should be reversed solely on the ground that Korum has failed to show arbitrary action or governmental misconduct with respect to the original counts, and thus has failed to establish that he is entitled to dismissal under CrR 8.3(b).