Opinion ID: 2405986
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: dismissal for failure to fix bond

Text: On February 13, 1968, before the jury was called, appellant's counsel orally moved for dismissal of the charge on the grounds that, despite repeated requests of the defendant from the time of his arrest on June 29, 1967, no bond was set for him by the magistrate court, and no bond was set until October 31, 1967, when the circuit court, after defendant's arraignment, set bond of $10,000. Appellant contends that he was deprived of his constitutional right to release on bond and that he was thereby prejudiced because during the period, he was unable to search for witnesses who might have assisted him and was unable to earn money to hire counsel of his own choice. The failure of the magistrate to fix bail is no ground for dismissal of the charge. A remedy was available to correct the magistrate's failure to fix bail. See Hickman v. O'Connell, Mo.App., 266 S.W. 2d 9. Such remedy, not dismissal of the charge, was the relief afforded defendant.