STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLANT,
v.
EDWARD MICHAEL PALMIERI, APPELLEE
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The court held that the trial court erred in discharging the defendant for a speedy trial violation without first allowing the defendant to be brought to trial within ten days as required by rule.
[1] A statute prohibiting the keeping of a house of ill fame resorted to for prostitution or lewdness is not unconstitutionally vague.
[2] A trial court must require a defendant to be brought to trial within ten days of filing a motion to discharge for violation of speedy trial before ordering a discharge.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceThe defendant was charged with keeping a house of ill fame. In one case, the information was dismissed as unconstitutionally vague. In the second case…
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ALTENBERND, Judge.
The state appeals two orders in separate cases against Mr. Palmieri. In both cases he was charged with keeping a house of ill fame in violation of section 796.01, Florida Statutes (1987). In case number 88-03107, the trial court dismissed the information, ruling that section 796.01 is unconstitutionally vague. In case number 88-02586, the trial court discharged Mr. Palmieri, ruling that he had been deprived of a speedy trial. We consolidate these cases for the purpose of this appeal and reverse both orders.
CASE NUMBER 88-03107
In this case, Mr. Palmieri was charged with keeping a house of ill fame, resorted to for the purpose of prostitution or lewdness, for a period between February 1, 1988, and August 10, 1988. The evidence which the state intended to introduce to establish the keeping of a house of ill fame is unclear. From the discussions at the hearing on the motion to dismiss, however, the state apparently contended that Mr. Palmieri operated an adult bookstore with private booths, ostensibly for the viewing of movies. The state contended that the thin partitions separating these private booths contained “glory holes,” which permitted male customers to engage in homosexual activity between the booths.
The trial court dismissed this information on grounds that section 796.01, Florida Statutes (1987), is unconstitutionally vague. The trial court’s order is essentially identical to the order which we reverse on this same date in State v. Warren, 558 So. 2d 55 (Fla. 2d DCA 1990). We reverse the trial court’s order of dismissal in this case on the same grounds, for the same reasons, and with the same reservations as stated in Warren.
CASE NUMBER 88-02586
In this case, Mr. Palmieri was charged with keeping a house of ill fame for a period between August 11, 1987, and February 18, 1988. Although it is apparent that the trial judge’s order was influenced by his belief that section 796.01, Florida Statutes (1987), is unconstitutionally vague, the order in this case discharged Mr. Palmi-eri for a violation of speedy trial.
Mr. Palmieri was arrested on a warrant on February 19, 1988, for keeping a house of ill fame. The state did not immediately file an information concerning this arrest. Mr. Palmieri's defense counsel, however, filed a notice of appearance, a plea of not guilty, and a demand for discovery on March 7, 1988. The information charging this felony was ultimately filed on July 15, 1988. Mr. Palmieri was arraigned on July 29, 1988. The trial court conducted a pretrial conference on August 4, 1988. At the pretrial conference, trial was set for September 19, 1988. On August 9, 1988, the state filed a notice of discovery, listing six police officers and four private citizens as potential witnesses.
On August 24, 1988, 187 days after his arrest, Mr. Palmieri filed a motion to discharge for violation of speedy trial. Pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.191(i)(4), the trial court held a hearing on the motion five days after it had been filed. At the hearing, Mr. Palmieri argued that the state’s delay of 147 days in filing the information placed him in the position of choosing between his right to a speedy trial and his need to adequately prepare for trial. Mr. Palmieri, however, presented no evidence to establish actual prejudice as a result of the state’s delay in filing the information or in disclosing its discovery.1 He did not argue that the state had acted in bad faith. The trial court granted the motion to discharge without providing the state an opportunity to try Mr. Palmieri.
The trial court incorrectly ordered the discharge because it did not first require that Mr. Palmieri be brought to trial within ten days. Fla.R.Crim.P. 3.191(i)(4); State v. Willis, 533 So. 2d 920 (Fla. 2d DCA 1988). We recognize that it is possible for a delay in filing an information or a discovery violation by the state to violate a defendant’s due process rights, or otherwise result in a continuance chargeable to the state. See State v. Borges, 467 So. 2d 375 (Fla. 2d DCA), review denied, 476 So. 2d 672 (Fla.1985); State v. Del Gaudio, 445 So. 2d 605 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984). Such a continuance can result in a discharge under Florida’s speedy trial rule. Lobik v. State, 506 So. 2d 1077 (Fla. 2d DCA 1987). Since the adoption of rule 3.191(i)(4), however, it appears that the trial court should typically defer a decision to discharge based on the defendant’s inability to prepare for trial until the time of the trial scheduled pursuant to rule 3.191(i)(4). At that time, the defendant has the burden to present evidence establishing that he is entitled to a continuance chargeable to the state, or is otherwise entitled to discharge.
Reversed and remanded for further proceedings consistent herewith.
FRANK, A.C.J., and PARKER, J., concur. . It is unclear from this record whether any discovery violation occurred. Thus, we express no opinion as to whether the state was obligated to respond to a demand for discovery which is filed prior to the information. The record does not indicate any affirmative act by Mr. Palmieri to enforce the premature request for discovery either before or after the information was filed.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
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State v. Warren, 558 So. 2d 55 (Fla. 2d DCA 1990)…or prostitution. 24 Am Jur.2d Disorderly Houses § 18 (1983). Thus, most states do not distinguish between a house of prostitution or lewdness and a house of ill fame. . In the related opinion which we have also issued this date, State v. Palmieri, 558 So. 2d 53 (Fla. 2d DCA 1990), the prosecutor stated that the state’s delay of 147 days in filing the information in that case was attributable to the concern of the state attorney’s office and the sheriff's office in proving the essential element of ill fame.…
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Palmieri v. State, 572 So. 2d 1378 (Fla. 1991)…McDONALD, Justice. In State v. Palmieri, 558 So. 2d 53 (Fla. 2d DCA 1990), the district court expressly declared valid section 796.01, Florida Statutes (1987), the “house of ill fame” statute. In Warren v. State, 572 So. 2d 1376 (Fla.1991), however, we found section 796.01 unconstitutionally vague. Ther…
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State v. Bryant Eubanks, 630 So. 2d 200 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993)…58 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988). Thus, the court should have granted the motion to discharge, but only after allowing the State to bring Eubanks to trial within the window period. Accord State v. Jackson, 566 So. 2d 951 (Fla. 5th DCA 1990); State v. Palmieri, 558 So. 2d 53 (Fla. 2d DCA 1990), quashed on other grounds, 572 So. 2d 1378 (Fla.1991); State v. Willis, 533 So. 2d 920 (Fla. 2d DCA 1988). Moreover, although Eubanks’ second motion to discharge attacked the legality of the May 4, 1990, order of extension, it is…
Previewing 3 of 4 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- State v. del Gaudio, 445 So. 2d 605 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984)
- Lobik v. State, 506 So. 2d 1077 (Fla. 2d DCA 1987)
- Hany Armaly v. Practice Mgmt. Assocs., Inc., 533 So. 2d 920 (Fla. 2d DCA 1988)
- State v. Willis, 533 So. 2d 920 (Fla. 2d DCA 1988)
- State v. Borges, 467 So. 2d 375 (Fla. 2d DCA 1985)
- State v. Warren, 558 So. 2d 55 (Fla. 2d DCA 1990)