Opinion ID: 853724
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Speedy Trial Under the Sixth Amendment

Text: The defendant contends that his Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial was violated by the twenty-one month delay between his arrest and the trial. The inquiry as to whether a defendant has been denied a speedy trial under the Sixth Amendment involves balancing a number of factors: (1) the length of delay; (2) the reason for the delay; (3) the defendant's assertion of the right to a speedy trial; and (4) any resulting prejudice to the defendant. Barker v. Wingo, 407 U.S. 514, 530, 92 S.Ct. 2182, 2192, 33 L.Ed.2d 101, 117 (1972). However, these factors have no talismanic qualities; courts must still engage in a difficult and sensitive balancing process. Id. at 533, 92 S.Ct. at 2193, 33 L.Ed.2d at 118. Initially, the defendant must show that his trial was not prompt. Doggett v. United States, 505 U.S. 647, 651-52, 112 S.Ct. 2686, 2690-91, 120 L.Ed.2d 520, 528 (1992). Although the Supreme Court in Doggett noted that many courts find the passage of approximately one year between charging and trial presumptively prejudicial, constituting sufficient delay to trigger the analysis, it also noted that presumptive prejudice does not necessarily indicate statistical probability of prejudice, but rather simply marks the point at which the Barker inquiry is triggered. Id. at 652 n. 1, 112 S.Ct. at 2691 n. 1, 120 L.Ed.2d at 528 n. 1. The delay in this case was twentyone months, but the reasons for the delay are attributable largely to the defendant. He dismissed his attorney and elected to proceed pro se. He requested a ballistics expert and then withdrew that request, only to later request a continuance to consult with a ballistics or forensic science expert. And he requested a continuance to obtain a psychiatric evaluation. While the defendant contends that some of the delay may be attributed to the State for failure to provide discovery promptly, we find that most of the delays are attributable to the defendant, with regard to both the length and the reasons for the delay. As to the defendant's assertion of his right to a speedy trial, we note that, when he sought to dismiss his attorneys, the defendant told the trial court at least twice that he did not claim the right to a speedy trial. In fact, the defendant concedes that he did not assert his right to a speedy trial until October 28, 1996, one year and five months after he was charged. This was over one year after he first told the trial court that he was not seeking a speedy trial. Regarding the defendant's claims of prejudice resulting from the delay, we have recognized that there are three types of prejudice: oppressive incarceration; constitutionally cognizable anxiety resulting from the excessive delay; and impairment of the defendant's rights. Allen v. State, 686 N.E.2d 760, 783 (Ind.1997). The defendant contends that his anxiety was greater than that experienced by other incarcerated individuals because he chose to represent himself and the State delayed in providing discovery. However, the defendant concedes that his rights were not impaired because the delay did not cause him to lose any evidence or witnesses. Balancing the Barker factors, we find that the defendant is responsible for a substantial portion of the delay, did not assert his speedy trial rights until almost a year and a half after being charged, and has not shown that his rights were impaired as a result of any delay. His Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial was not violated.