ERNIE RICHARDSON, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Ernie Richardson appeals his conviction for grand larceny and attempted robbery, challenging the denial of his motion for discharge based on violation of Florida's 180-day speedy trial rule. The court reverses, finding that Richardson was continuously available for trial and that the state's administrative error in the capias (incorrect address) prevented his arrest and trial within the required 180-day period.
The court holds that Richardson's motion for discharge should have been granted. Although the state bears the burden of proving the defendant's unavailability for trial, Richardson established by competent proof his continuous availability during the required 180-day period. Because Richardson's failure to be brought to trial within 180 days was attributable solely to the state's error in the capias and not to any action or unavailability on Richardson's part, the delay does not enlarge the 180-day speedy trial requirement.
[1] A defendant is entitled to discharge under the speedy trial rule if the state fails to bring them to trial within the prescribed period, unless the state demonstrates the…
[2] The 180-day speedy trial period commences when a person is taken into custody as a result of the conduct giving rise to the crime charged.
Previewing 2 of 5 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“Florida R.Crim.P. 3.191(a)(1) provides that a person charged with a felony shall without demand be brought to trial within 180 days.”
Establishes the speedy trial requirement at issue in the case
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceRichardson was arrested on September 10, 1974, for robbery in Palm Beach County and subsequently released. A criminal information was filed on Septemb…
The full statement of facts, procedural history, and disposition for this case are member content.
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CROSS, Judge.
Appellant-defendant, Ernie Richardson, appeals a judgment of guilty and imposition of sentence for grand larceny and attempted robbery. We reverse.
Appellant was arrested on September 10, 1974 for robbery that allegedly occurred in Palm Beach County on said date. Subsequently, appellant was released from custody. Ten days thereafter, September 20, 1974, a criminal information was filed charging appellant in two counts with robbery alleged to have occurred on September 10, 1974. A capias then issued for appellant’s arrest. The sheriff’s department was unable to locate appellant due to an error in address contained in the capias. The capias set forth his address as 227 Northwest 36th Avenue, Pompano Beach, Florida. However, court records reflect that when initially arrested, appellant gave his address as 227 Northwest 6th Avenue, Pompano Beach, Florida.
On February 8, 1975 Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department was notified that appellant was in Broward County Jail on local charges. After trial on the Broward County charges, appellant, on April 18,1975, was returned to Palm Beach County.
On June 6, 1975 appellant filed a motion for discharge, alleging he had not been brought to trial within 180 days of his original arrest on September 10,1974 as required by Fla.R. Crim.P. 3.191(a)(1). Appellant further alleged he has been continually available for trial since that date. The motion came on for hearing and was denied. Trial began on August 25, 1975, resulting in a jury verdict of guilty for the crimes of grand larceny and attempted robbery. Appellant was adjudicated guilty of these offenses on October 24, 1975, and sentenced to two concurrent five-years terms. This appeal followed.
The question for our determination is whether appellant’s motion for discharge should have been granted.
Florida R.Crim.P. 3.191(a)(1) provides that a person charged with a felony shall without demand be brought to trial within 180 days. This time period “shall commence when [a] person is taken into custody as [the] result of the conduct [of] criminal episode giving rise to the crime charged.” Under the speedy trial rule, the time within which a person must be tried cannot be extended by the state entering a nolle prosequi to a crime charged and then prosecuting new or different charges based on the same conduct or criminal episode. State ex rel. Green v. Patterson, Pinellas County, 279 So. 2d 362 (Fla.2d DCA 1973); Bryant v. Blount, 261 So. 2d 847 (Fla.1st DCA 1972); Fla.R.Crim.P. 3.191(h)(2).
However, if the state presents any evidence tending to show non-availability of the accused for trial, the accused must then establish by competent proof his continuous availability during the required period of time. State ex rel. Green v. Patterson, Pinellas County, supra; Fla.R.Crim.P. 3.191(e).
In the instant case, a motion for discharge pursuant to the speedy trial rule was filed nine months after appellant was initially arrested and an information filed.
The state contends appellant was unavailable for trial during that period and was not entitled to discharge.
However, the record reflects appellant successfully met the burden of proving he would have been available for trial but for an error by the state. After release from the initial arrest, appellant was not re-arrested when the subsequent information was filed because the capias showed an address different than the one given by appellant upon his initial arrest and contained in his court record. During this period, until his incarceration in Broward County, appellant testified he resided at the address he had given when initially arrested; never left the state; did not conceal his identity nor attempt to elude police authorities.
Thus, the delay in trial is not attributable to appellant and does not enlarge the 180 days from arrest in which the speedy trial rule requires that an accused individual be tried.
Accordingly, the judgment and sentence is vacated and set aside, and the cause remanded to the trial court with directions to discharge appellant, Ernie Richardson.
Reversed and remanded with directions.
DOWNEY and ALDERMAN, JJ., concur.
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State v. Dorian, 619 So. 2d 311 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993)…. Bloom V. McKnight, 502 So. 2d 422 (Fla. 1987); Zabrani v. Cowart, 502 So. 2d 1257 (Fla. 3d DCA 1986), approved, 506 So. 2d 1035 (FIa.1987). . Fyman v. State, 450 So. 2d 1250, 1252 (Fla. 2d DCA 1984) (opinion by Grimes, J.); Richardson v. State, 340 So. 2d 1198 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976); State ex rel. Green v. Patterson, 279 So. 2d 362, 363-64 (Fla. 2d DCA 1973). . Stewart v. State, 491 So. 2d 271, 272 (Fla.1986). . State v. McDonald, 538 So. 2d 1352, 1353 (Fla. 2d DCA 1989). . State v. Agee, 588 So. 2d 600 (…
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Thigpen v. State, 350 So. 2d 1078 (Fla. 4th DCA 1977)…f the defendant for trial. Once the State presents “any evidence tending to show non-availability”, the burden shifts to the accused to come forward with competent proof of continuous availability. Rule 3.191(e), Fla.R. Crim.P.; Richardson v. State, 340 So. 2d 1198 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976). Therefore, the first question we must consider in the instant case is whether the State presented any evidence tending to show non-availability of the Defendant during the 180-day term. At the hearing on Defendant’s Motion for…
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Wright v. State, 387 So. 2d 1060 (Fla. 5th DCA 1980)…t card in Orange County, and subsequently held them in Seminole County might allow the prosecution to charge Wright with the commission of two different crimes,3 but it is clear both crimes grew out of the same criminal episode. Richardson v. State, 340 So. 2d 1198 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976). State v. Evans, 338 So. 2d 51 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976), cert. denied, 346 So. 2d 1248 (Fla.1977) is not controlling because in Evans, the defendant was charged with committing different acts of arson at different times, against diff…
Previewing 3 of 11 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Bryant v. Uriel Blount, Jr., 261 So. 2d 847 (Fla. 1st DCA 1972)
- State v. Patterson, 279 So. 2d 362 (Fla. 2d DCA 1973)