Opinion ID: 1881558
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Woodall's Assertion of His Right to Speedy Trial

Text: ¶ 43. The majority holds that the trial court erred in failing to give proper weight to Woodall's failure to assert timely his speedy trial right and in weighing this factor equally between the State and Woodall. The majority quotes Barker, stating that the failure to assert the right to a speed trial will make it difficult for a defendant to prove that he was denied a speedy trial. Barker, 407 U.S. at 531-32, 92 S.Ct. 2182. However, the Court in Barker also stated that a defendant does not automatically waive his right to speedy trial by failing to raise the issue, but that does not mean, however, that the defendant has no responsibility to assert his right. Id. at 528, 92 S.Ct. 2182. ¶ 44. This Court has stressed the importance of a defendant's request for a speedy trial. In Jaco v. State, 574 So.2d 625, 632 (Miss.1990), Steve and Jerry Jaco did not raise the speedy trial issue until one day before their trial. This Court noted that an accused has no duty to bring himself to trial. Id. See also Brengettcy v. State, 794 So.2d 987, 994 (Miss. 2001). However, this Court went on to hold that the accused gains far more points under this prong of the Barker test where he has demanded a speedy trial. The question is how does a defendant who has only been arrested but not indicted assert a speedy trial request? Likewise, in Flores v. State, 574 So.2d 1314, 1321 (Miss. 1990), this Court held that [t]he State must assume that a defendant wants a speedy trial unless the defendant maintains otherwise. This obligation remains with the State because the defendant has no duty to bring himself to trial. Id. ¶ 45. As the majority points out, Woodall asserted his right to speedy trial only when the State appealed the trial court's dismissal of this case on statute of limitations grounds. On remand, Woodall moved for dismissal of the charges due to a violation of his right to a speedy trial. The trial court granted the motion, concluding that a defendant does not waive his right to a speedy trial by failing to assert it. The majority stresses that where a defendant fails to assert his right to speedy trial, that failure must be weighed against him. The fact remains that Woodall did assert his right to a speedy trial, but had no real reason to assert that right until the State appealed the trial court dismissal of Woodall's case. Regardless of when the defendant actually asserted his right to a speedy trial, the State's duty to provide Woodall a speedy trial was constant. The burden was on the State to bring Woodall to trial in a timely manner or to have him indicted after he was arrested. Under the circumstances, Woodall was under no duty to bring himself to trial. I disagree with the majority that this factor should be weighed in favor of the State.