Court Opinion

ID: 9537523
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 07:19:35.126409+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:56:45.303436
License: Public Domain

BIRD, C. J., Concurring and Dissenting.
I am compelled to write separately to voice strong disagreement with that portion of the majority opinion which relies on the case of People v. Wilson (1963) 60 Cal.2d 139 [32 Cal.Rptr. 44, 383 P.2d 452].  It is indeed unfortunate that this fine opinion is marred by a finding that appellant must prove prejudice even though he was denied his right to a speedy trial.
As Justice Peters pointed out in his dissent in People v. Wilson, supra, 60 Cal.2d at page 158, “the trial court, without defendant’s consent and against his will, denied him, erroneously, his constitutional and statutory rights, because the trial court rode roughshod over these fundamental rights, because the trial court, illegally, forced him to a trial over which it had no jurisdiction,... that in some unexplained and inexplicable manner the trial court regained ‘jurisdiction’ to try him, and that this error, this fundamental invasion of an important constitutional and statutory right, became immaterial and must be disregarded. Thus, this invasion of fundamental rights, this error that was admittedly prejudicial when committed, becomes, in some magic way purged. The *587provisions of article VI, section 4½ [now art. VI, § 13], in some way not explained, make the error, prejudicial when committed, non-prejudicial now. This is illogical and unsound, and a wrongful denial of fundamental rights. It amounts to a judicial repeal of a constitutional and statutory right. The right to a speedy trial cannot and should not be treated so cavalierly.”
The majority’s error is compounded by its determination that appellant failed to prove prejudice under the Wilson test. Even if the holding in Wilson is adopted and applied to the facts of this case, I cannot understand how appellant can be held responsible for the failure of his lawyer to bring a pretrial writ when that same counsel refused to follow appellant’s wishes that he receive a speedy trial. The majority overlook the fact that appellant’s failure to bring a pretrial writ asserting his right to a speedy trial was part of his counsel’s underlying failure to properly represent appellant’s interest. Also, this. court is requiring a person, who is not schooled in legal procedure, to be aware of the fact that he must file a pretrial writ, and his failure to do so will require him to prove prejudice on appeal. I cannot indorse such a rule or such an unfair result.
The petitions of both parties for a rehearing were denied April 24, 1980.