STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLANT (STATE),
v.
LOUIS KELLEY AND JESSIE JAMES MATTHEWS, APPELLEES (DEFENDANTS)

Fla. 1st DCA | 1975-11-26
No. W-390
BOYER, C. J., and McCORD, J., concur.
322 So. 2d 581 Florida District Court of Appeal, First District (1975) Caution
Cited by 38 cases

AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.

Synopsis

Florida's State appeals the dismissal of robbery charges against two defendants based on a speedy trial violation. The appellate court reversed, finding that both defendants waived their right to a speedy trial through their attorneys' stipulations to continuances, and that the three-day overage was reasonable.


Holding

Both defendants waived their speedy trial rights through their attorneys' stipulations to continuances. Matthews' attorney's consent to the continuance to prepare his defense, and Kelley's attorney's failure to object when the State announced the stipulated continuance, constituted waivers of the 180-day rule. The three-day overage was reasonable and the trial was rescheduled at the earliest possible date.


Headnotes

[1] A defendant's right to a speedy trial may be waived by their attorney.

[2] An attorney's agreement to or stipulation for a continuance of a trial constitutes a waiver of the defendant's speedy trial rights.

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Key Quotes

“A defendant's right to a speedy trial may be waived by his attorney. A waiver of a defendant's right to a speedy trial results where his attorney and the State's attorney agree upon or stipulate to a continuance of the trial, or when his attorney consents to or acquiesces in a delay sought by the State.”

Establishes the legal standard for waiver of speedy trial rights through attorney conduct.

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Facts & Procedural History

On January 30, 1974, defendants Kelley and Matthews were arrested for robbery and trial was set for April 23. On April 19, Matthews' public defender w…

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Opinion of the Court
MILLS, Judge.

MILLS, Judge.

This appeal by the State questions the correctness of orders rendered by the trial court dismissing the information filed against the defendants and discharging them on the ground that they were not afforded a speedy trial as required by Rule 3.191(a)(1), Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure.

The issue before us is whether the right to a speedy trial was waived or extended.

On 30 January 1974, the defendants were taken into custody and charged with robbery. Their trial was set for 23 April. On 19 April, the public defender, who was representing Matthews, was required to withdraw because of a conflict. The trial court immediately appointed private counsel for this defendant, and on the morning of the scheduled trial, the court continued the Matthews trial, stating that it knew that Matthews’ newly appointed attorney could not be prepared on such short notice. The newly appointed attorney agreed. Thereafter, in the presence of Kelley’s attorney, in open court, the State’s attorney announced that they had stipulated to a continuance because of the appointment of new counsel for Matthews. Kelley’s attorney made no response. The trial court then continued the Kelley trial.

On 26 April, at a hearing attended by all of the attorneys, the trial court reset the trial for 31 July. There were no objections by the attorneys.

On 31 July, the attorneys for the defendants filed motions to dismiss and to discharge defendants, because the State had failed to bring them to trial within 180 days from date of custody. 31 July was the one hundred eighty-third day from custody. The trial court granted the motions and discharged defendants.

The speedy trial rule may be extended by the trial court on its own motion where the delay is based on a development which could not be anticipated and which would materially affect the trial. Rule 3.-191(d)(2) and (f), Rules of Criminal Procedure.

When counsel for a defendant requests a continuance, the time limitation on a speedy trial is extended for a reasonable period of time. Llano v. State, 271 So. 2d 34 (Fla.App. 3d, 1972).

A defendant’s right to a speedy trial may be waived by his attorney. A waiver of a defendant’s right to a speedy trial results where his attorney and the State’s attorney agree upon or stipulate to a continuance of the trial, or when his attorney consents to or acquiesces in a delay sought by the State. State v. Earnest, 265 So. 2d 397 (Fla.App. 1st, 1972).

The trial court continued the trial of Matthews so that his newly appointed attorney would have an opportunity to prepare this defendant’s case for trial. Matthews’ new attorney agreed with the court’s action. The actions of the court and the attorney were proper; they were taken to insure that Matthews would be effectively and vigorously defended. However, the actions taken extended the 180-day speedy trial rule.

Counsel for Kelley waived the defendant’s right to a speedy trial by either stipulating to a continuance of his trial, or consenting to or acquiescing in a delay, when in open court he did not object to the statement by the State’s attorney that they jointly stipulated to a continuance, and the trial court granted the continuance. Kelley’s counsel had good reason for his actions; he desired the court to rule on a motion for severance he had just filed on behalf of Kelley. Nevertheless, this action waived the 180-day speedy trial rule.

There has been no complaint that the trial court failed to set the trial within a reasonable time, and there could be none. The trial was rescheduled at the earliest possible date, and only three days beyond the time limitation of the speedy trial rule,

Reversed and remanded for trial.

BOYER, C. J., and McCORD, J., concur.


Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus


Citator

Cited By (19 total)

  • Alphonso Stuart v. State, 360 So. 2d 406 (Fla. 1978)
    …er “effectively waived his right to be tried within the time limitation of the Rule because of the plea negotiations and because of the defense counsel’s acquiescence to the Court setting the trial on the 181st day.” The court cited State v. Kelley, 322 So. 2d 581 (Fla.1st DCA 1975) and State v. Earnest, 265 So. 2d 397 (Fla.1st DCA 1972). If there is any theory upon which the trial court might properly have denied petitioner’s motion for discharge, then the district court was correct in affirming, even thoug…
    1 / 2
  • State ex rel. William M. C. Wilhoit v. Wells, 356 So. 2d 817 (Fla. 1st DCA 1978)
    …tinuance of the October 24 trial date in order to seek relief in this court. The speedy trial period was thereby extended for a reasonable time which, considering the purpose for which the continuance was sought, has not yet expired. State v. Kelly, 322 So. 2d 581 (Fla. 1st DCA 1975). Wilhoit is not entitled to discharge from any count in the pending informations for violations of the speedy trial requirements of Fla.R.Crim.P. 3.191. The prayer of the suggestion for writ of prohibition is GRANTED insofar as…
  • McKINNEY v. Honorable Theron A. Yawn, Jr., 625 So. 2d 885 (Fla. 1st DCA 1993)
    …earing. Thus, the state reasonably inferred from McKinney’s conduct that he was abandoning his demand for discharge, and speedy trial is waived when both sides agree or stipulate to a continuance, as was done at the April 1 hearing. State v. Kelley, 322 So. 2d 581 (Fla. 1st DCA 1975). III. In reaching our decision, we first note that no order, either oral or written, has been entered denying McKinney’s first motion for discharge filed in March. Since the trial court has not explicitly ruled on that motion,…
    1 / 2

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