TERRY F. BROWN, PETITIONER,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, RESPONDENT

Fla. 2d DCA | 2001-08-22
No. 2D01-2452
PARKER, A.C.J., and NORTHCUTT, J., Concur.
798 So. 2d 773 Florida District Court of Appeal, Second District (2001) Positive Treatment
Cited by 10 cases

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Synopsis

Terry Brown, an incarcerated defendant charged with grand theft, petitioned for a writ of prohibition challenging the trial court's denial of his motion for discharge based on alleged violation of speedy trial rights under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.191. The appellate court denied the petition but clarified that while the trial court reached the correct result, it applied incorrect reasoning.


Holding

The trial court correctly struck Brown's notice of expiration because it was premature, filed 44 days after the demand rather than after the required 50-day period elapsed. However, the trial court erred in its reasoning by requiring that Brown be taken into custody under rule 3.191(d), as rule 3.191(b) does not contain such a requirement.


Headnotes

[1] A defendant incarcerated in state prison may demand a speedy trial on unrelated charges, even if not in the custody of the court where the charge is pending.

[2] A defendant's speedy trial time begins to run upon the filing of a demand for speedy trial under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.191(b), regardless of whether the de…

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Key Quotes

“Rule 3.191(b) does not require that a defendant be taken into custody before the time provided for in that subsection begins to run [...] Rather, the time begins to run upon the filing of the demand.”

Establishes that custody under rule 3.191(d) is not a prerequisite for speedy trial demands under rule 3.191(b), distinguishing it from rule 3.191(a).

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Facts & Procedural History

Brown was incarcerated in state prison for unrelated convictions when charged by information with grand theft. On November 27, 2000, he filed a demand…

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Opinion of the Court
ALTENBERND, Judge.

ALTENBERND, Judge.

Terry F. Brown petitions this court for a writ of prohibition alleging a violation of his right to a speedy trial under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.191. Mr. Brown properly filed a motion for discharge in the trial court which that court denied. He then sought review here. We deny the petition, but write to explain our reasoning because the trial court’s order, although reaching the correct result, did so for the wrong reason.

Mr. Brown has been charged by information with grand theft. He is currently incarcerated in state prison in Florida for unrelated convictions. On November 27, 2000, Mr. Brown filed a demand for speedy trial under rule 3.191(b).1 That rule provides in pertinent part that “every person charged with a crime by indictment or information shall have the right to demand a trial within 60 days, by filing with the court a separate pleading and serving a copy on the prosecuting authority.” Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.191(b).

The rule goes on to state that if the defendant is not brought to trial within fifty days of the filing of the demand, the defendant shall have the right to the appropriate remedy provided for in rule 3.191(p). Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.191(b)(4). Rule 3.191(p) provides that at any time after the expiration of the prescribed period the defendant may file a notice of expiration of speedy trial, and if the defendant is not brought to trial within a certain time after the filing of the notice, the defendant shall be entitled to discharge.2

Mr. Brown filed his notice of expiration on January 10, 2001. The trial court struck the notice of expiration because Mr. Brown had never “been taken into custody under rule 3.191(d) ... by either arrest or being served with a notice to appear.” Although not expressly stated in its order, the trial court appears to be proceeding as though Mr. Brown had asserted his right to a speedy trial under rule 3.191(a) rather than rule 3.191(b).

Rule 3.191(a) specifically provides that the time periods established in that subsection do not begin to run until the defendant is taken into custody as defined in rule 3.191(d). That portion of the rule also explicitly states that it ceases to apply whenever a person files a valid demand for speedy trial under rule 3.191(b). Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.191(a).

Rule 3.191(b) does not require that a defendant be taken into custody before the time provided for in that subsection begins to run. See Carter v. State, 509 So. 2d 1126 (Fla. 5th DCA 1987); Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.191(b). Rather, the time begins to run upon the filing of the demand. Id. Therefore, whether Mr. Brown had been taken into custody on the grand theft charge was irrelevant, and the reasoning of the trial court’s order is erroneous.

We conclude, nonetheless, that the trial court correctly struck Mr. Brown’s notice of expiration because it was premature. Mr. Brown’s demand was filed No vember 27, 2000. He was entitled to file his notice of expiration any time after the fifty-day period expired. See Fla. R. Crim P. 3.191(b)(4), (p)(2). Instead of waiting, however, Mr. Brown filed his notice of expiration on January 10, 2001, forty-four days after he filed his demand. As such, the notice was premature and properly stricken. See Sarrain v. State, 632 So. 2d 1063 (Fla. 3d DCA 1994). Because the notice was properly stricken, Mr. Brown was not entitled to discharge.3

Petition for writ of prohibition denied.

PARKER, A.C.J., and NORTHCUTT, J., Concur. . A prisoner in Florida in state custody may demand speedy trial, even though he or she is not in the jurisdiction of the court where the charge is pending. Cheeks v. Swanson, 541 So. 2d 1346 (Fla. 2d DCA 1989).

. The rule provides for certain exceptions not relevant to our inquiry. See Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.1910).

. We reject without discussion the State's argument that this court should find Mr. Brown’s demand invalid simply because Mr. Brown has not obtained counsel or engaged in discovery. See Landry v. State, 666 So. 2d 121 (Fla.1995).


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Citator

Cited By

  • Thomas v. State, 46 So. 3d 116 (Fla. 1st DCA 2010)
    …from this court. We find that petitioner is entitled to relief. Although he had apparently not yet been taken into custody on the Suwan-nee County matter, he was nevertheless entitled to demand speedy trial under rule 3.191(b). See Brown v. State, 798 So. 2d 773 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001). When petitioner timely sought relief by filing a notice of expiration of speedy trial time under rule 3.191(p) and the matter was ignored by the trial court and the prosecutor, petitioner became entitled to discharge. According…
  • Mumani v. State, 63 So. 3d 923 (Fla. 5th DCA 2011)
    …eedy Trial upon Demand). Under subsection (b), the action that starts the time limit to bring the matter to trial is the filing of a written demand, rather than the arrest. See Thomas v. State, 46 So. 3d 116, 117 (Fla. 1st DCA 2010); Brown v. State, 798 So. 2d 773, 774 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001). Accordingly, we grant the petition and direct that the circuit court enter an order discharging Mumani from the pending charge[s] in Volusia County case number 2009-32213 CFAES. PETITION GRANTED. ORFINGER, COHEN and JA…
  • Silvio Alonso v. State, 17 So. 3d 806 (Fla. 3d DCA 2009)
    …nstant case, as it is clear that a notice of expiration filed during the period when the defendant may be brought to tidal is premature. While that rule no longer applies, the language provides an explanation of the current rule. See Brown v. State, 798 So. 2d 773, 775 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001) (stating the defendant was “entitled to tile his notice of expiration any time after the fifty-day period expired”) (citing Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.191(b)(4)). Petition denied.…

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