Opinion ID: 2549542
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Delay of Appeal

Text: [¶ 41] Daniel filed his notice of appeal in September of 1999 and ordered a transcript of the report of proceedings. Defense counsel approved several extensions requested by the court reporter but, after learning that motions hearings and transcripts of the first trial had not been reported, moved to have a new trial granted for an insufficient record. These motions were denied, and Daniel contends that the almost thirty-one month delay denied his right to a speedy appeal in violation of his right to due process guaranteed by Art. 1, § 6 of the Wyoming Constitution and the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution, and requires reversal of his convictions and dismissal of the charges against him. [¶ 42] The United States Constitution does not require the states to provide convicted defendants a right to appellate review. Harris v. Champion, 15 F.3d 1538, 1558 (10th Cir.1994); Rheuark v. Shaw, 628 F.2d 297, 302 (5th Cir.1980). While the right to a speedy appeal is not contemplated in the Sixth Amendment, federal courts have held that undue delay in processing an appeal may rise to the level of a violation of due process. See, e.g., United States v. Smith, 94 F.3d 204, 206-07 (6th Cir.1996); United States v. Hawkins, 78 F.3d 348, 350 (8th Cir.1996); United States v. Luciano-Mosquera, 63 F.3d 1142, 1158 (1st Cir.1995); Harris, 15 F.3d at 1557; United States v. Antoine, 906 F.2d 1379, 1382 (9th Cir.1990); Simmons v. Reynolds, 898 F.2d 865, 868 (2d Cir.1990); Rheuark, 628 F.2d at 302; see also Evitts v. Lucey, 469 U.S. 387, 393, 105 S.Ct. 830, 834, 83 L.Ed.2d 821 (1985) (if state has created appellate courts as integral part of system for adjudicating guilt or innocence, procedures used in deciding appeals must comport with demands of due process and equal protection). [¶ 43] To determine whether an inordinate delay denies due process, most courts have adopted a modified version of the test formulated in Barker v. Wingo, 407 U.S. 514, 530, 92 S.Ct. 2182, 33 L.Ed.2d 101 (1972), analogizing to the violation of speedy trial rights. Harris, 15 F.3d at 1558-59; Rheuark, 628 F.2d at 303; Allen v. State, 686 N.E.2d 760, 783 (Ind.1997). The four-prong test examines the length of the delay, the reason for the delay, the defendant's diligence in pursuing the right to appeal, and the prejudice to the defendant. Barker, 407 U.S. at 530, 92 S.Ct. at 2192; Coe v. Thurman, 922 F.2d 528, 531-32 (9th Cir.1990); Rheuark, 628 F.2d at 303 n. 8. The length of the delay acts as a triggering mechanism, meaning that unless the delay is unreasonable under the circumstances, there is no necessity to inquire further. Doggett v. United States, 505 U.S. 647, 651-52, 112 S.Ct. 2686, 2690-91, 120 L.Ed.2d 520 (1992); Barker, 407 U.S. at 530, 92 S.Ct. at 2192. In extreme circumstances, an inordinate delay may give rise to a presumption of prejudice. Doggett, 505 U.S. at 655-57, 112 S.Ct. at 2692-93 (cited in Smith, 94 F.3d at 209). [¶ 44] The courts have recognized that an appeal that is inordinately delayed is as much a meaningless ritual as an appeal that is adjudicated without the benefit of effective counsel or a transcript of the trial court proceedings. Smith, 94 F.3d at 207 (quoting Harris, 15 F.3d at 1558). Among the circumstances that can lead to a deprivation of due process are excessive delays in furnishing transcripts to be used on appeal. Luciano-Mosquera, 63 F.3d at 1158; DeLancy v. Caldwell, 741 F.2d 1246 (10th Cir. 1984); Rheuark, 628 F.2d at 302. If the threshold showing of inordinate delay is not established, it is generally unnecessary to inquire into the remaining Barker factors. Harris, 15 F.3d at 1559-60. The fourth Barker factor, prejudice, is to be assessed in light of the interests that the right to a speedy disposition of an appeal is intended to protect. These interests are: (1) preventing oppressive incarceration pending appeal; (2) minimizing anxiety and concern of a convicted person awaiting the outcome of an appeal; and (3) limiting the possibility that the grounds for appeal or defenses in case of reversal and retrial might be impaired. Harris, 15 F.3d at 1559; Rheuark, 628 F.2d at 303 n. 8. [¶ 45] We agree with the federal courts that an excessive delay in the resolution of an appeal, other than appeals involving the unusual circumstances of capital crime, can give rise to a cognizable claim of denial of due process. We further conclude that the factors set forth in Barker, as adapted by Harris and Rheuark, are appropriate for evaluating such claims. Applying these factors here, we perceive no due process violation in the resolution of defendant's appeal. [¶ 46] As Daniel points out, the time for resolution of his appeal will exceed three years. The amount of time involved in preparing and transmitting the record was longer than it should have been and does reach the levels that have been considered excessive or inordinate for purposes of assessing whether a due process violation has occurred. See DeLancy, 741 F.2d at 1248 (court reporter's three-year refusal to provide transcript could support defendant's claim for damages under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 if application of Barker factors established a due process violation); Luciano-Mosquera, 63 F.3d at 1158 (although reporter's failure to provide transcripts for nearly two years was a significant delay, defendant suffered no prejudice and thus did not establish due process violation); Rheuark, 628 F.2d at 302-03 (court would assume without deciding that delay of nearly two years in preparation of transcript exceeded the limits of due process). [¶ 47] The total time for resolving defendant's appeal rises to the level of inordinate delay that has been recognized as necessitating inquiry into the remaining Barker factors. See Simmons, 898 F.2d at 868 (six-year delay in resolving appeal, resulting in significant prejudice to defendant, deprived him of his due process right to a speedy appeal); Hawkins, 78 F.3d at 351-52 (four-year delay by clerk's office in processing appeal was inordinate, but defendant's due process rights were not violated because he was not prejudiced by the delay); Smith, 94 F.3d at 207-08 (three-year delay in resolving appeal was sufficient to require inquiry into additional Barker factors); Harris, 15 F.3d at 1560 (delay beyond two years in adjudicating direct criminal appeal is presumptively excessive, thus requiring consideration of additional factors). [¶ 48] We see inordinate delay here, and the State concedes that we should follow Harris v. Champion , and presume that the delay was excessive, and thus, consider the remaining Barker factors. In regard to the second Barker factorthe reason for the delaywe note that at least some of the delay was attributable to defendant's amendment of his original designation of record and his supplemental designation of an additional transcript some nine months after the original designation; however, we will not decide today whether delay caused by a court reporter and a court-appointed attorney shall weigh against a defendant. Considering the third Barker factor, we conclude that defendant timely asserted his right to a speedy appeal, having raised the issue during the course of his attempts to obtain the transcripts. However, defendant is unable to show prejudice resulting from the delay, the fourth Barker factor, and thus cannot establish a due process violation. See Hawkins, 78 F.3d at 351-52; Luciano-Mosquera, 63 F.3d at 1158. [¶ 49] Incarceration is not oppressive and thus does not support a claim of prejudice under Barker, if the absence of a meritorious appeal establishes that the defendant is rightfully incarcerated. See Hawkins, 78 F.3d at 351. Here, Daniel has not established any basis for reversal of his conviction or reduction of his two consecutive life sentences prison term. He is thus rightfully incarcerated, and there will be no retrial at which potential defenses might have been compromised by the delay. Finally, defendant does not establish that he has suffered anxiety or concern beyond that normally accompanying a pending appeal. Daniel's claim fails because we find that he suffered no prejudice and, in these circumstances, any delay in the resolution of his appeal has not violated his right to due process. People v. Rios, 43 P.3d 726, 733-34 (Colo.App.2001). [¶ 50] Finding no error, the order of conviction and sentence is affirmed.