Opinion ID: 1825939
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Did trial court err in denying bail?

Text: Defendant asserts trial court erroneously failed to admit him to bail, thereby handicapping him and his counsel in trial preparation. We note at the time of trial court's action defendant did not seek relief by habeas corpus or certiorari. See Ford v. Dilley, 174 Iowa 243, 156 N.W. 513 (1916); 8 Am.Jur.2d Bail and Recognizance § 54, pp. 815-816 (1963). Under those circumstances different considerations would apply. See Stack v. Boyle, 342 U.S. 1, 4, 72 S.Ct. 1, 3, 96 L.Ed. 3, 6 (1951); Pugh v. Rainwater, 557 F.2d 1189, 1200 (5th Cir. 1977); Heikkinen v. United States, 208 F.2d 738, 742 (7th Cir. 1953). Trial court based its ruling denying bail on § 763.1, The Code, 1975: All defendants are bailable both before and after conviction, by sufficient surety, except for murder in the first degree and kidnaping for ransom where the proof is evident or the presumption great. The court found the proof is evident and the presumption is great that the crime charged constituted murder in the first degree and that the defendant should be denied bail. Apparently the above statute is rooted in that portion of article I, section 12, Iowa Constitution, which provides, [a]ll persons shall, before conviction, be bailable, by sufficient sureties, except for capital offenses where the proof is evident, or the presumption great. See State v. Fowler, 248 N.W.2d 511, 514-515 (Iowa 1976); 8 Am. Jur.2d Bail and Recognizance §§ 28-31, pp. 800-802 (1963). Section 763.1, supra, was repealed effective January 1, 1978. Acts 66 G.A. ch. 1245, ch. 4 § 526 (1976). The substitute enactment will make all defendants bailable before conviction. Acts 66 G.A. ch. 1245, ch. 2 § 1101 (1976); see J. Roehrick, The New Iowa Criminal Code, A Comparison, p. 395 (1975). The State argues this issue is moot. A question is moot when the issues it presents are merely academic, and any judgment rendered can have no practical legal effect. State v. Wilson, 234 N.W.2d 140, 141 (Iowa 1975), and citations. Ordinarily we will not decide moot questions unless the issue presented is of substantial public interest, in which case we will exercise a discretion to decide it. Catholic Char. of Arch. of Dubuque v. Zalesky, 232 N.W.2d 539, 543 (Iowa 1975); Board of Dir. of Ind. Sch. Dist. of Waterloo v. Green, 259 Iowa 1260, 1264, 147 N.W.2d 854, 856 (1967). Trial court's bail ruling does not present an issue of substantial public interest warranting decision on the merits. Nor would even illegal detention in and of itself void a subsequent conviction. Gerstein v. Pugh, 420 U.S. 103, 119, 95 S.Ct. 854, 865, 43 L.Ed.2d 54, 68 (1975); State v. Fowler, supra, 248 N.W.2d at 515; cf. State v. Grady, 231 N.W.2d 869, 874 (Iowa 1975). On the other hand, the larger issue would not be moot if trial court erroneously denied bail and thereby prejudicially handicapped defendant's trial preparation. See State v. Shea, 218 N.W.2d 610, 615 (Iowa 1974). Defendant presented no proof his trial preparation was impaired. See State v. Ogle, 78 Wash.2d 86, 87, 469 P.2d 918, 919 (1970). The record before us shows he was accorded the full panoply of discovery processes. He was granted the right to depose 22 persons, which included those witnesses named in the county attorney's information. A court order allowed the defense to examine virtually all physical evidence including the gun, bullet, casing, fingerprints, clothing, autopsy, police photographs and sketches, and report of police dispatch orders. Defendant was permitted, and used, services of a private investigator at public expense. We are not convinced denial of bail hampered defendant's trial preparation. We therefore hold no error can be predicated on trial court's bail ruling.