Goston v. State

930 S.W.2d 332, 326 Ark. 106, 1996 Ark. LEXIS 508
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedSeptember 30, 1996
DocketCR 96-440
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 930 S.W.2d 332 (Goston v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Goston v. State, 930 S.W.2d 332, 326 Ark. 106, 1996 Ark. LEXIS 508 (Ark. 1996).

Opinion

Tom Glaze, Justice.

On April 13, 1993, appellant Lee Goston was arrested (and bonded out the next day) for the aggravated robbery of One Bank in Little Rock which occurred on March 29, 1993. On July 14, 1993, Goston requested a state mental health evaluation, which was granted on July 20, 1993. Goston had five other criminal cases pending against him, and he asked that a full mental evaluation be done in all the cases.

On October 4, 1993, another hearing was held for the purpose of resetting a date for obtaining a report in this case, and the parties agreed upon December 27, 1993. The trial court noted that all pending cases would be continued to the same date. On January 14, 1994, the State Mental Health Services'filed its report in this case, finding Goston competent to stand trial, and that Goston did not lack the capacity to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law. In conformity with the earlier proceedings, the present case was continued further until the remainder of Goston’s evaluations were received by the court. The trial court actually held four hearings so as to check on the progress of the evaluation reports and to determine when a trial date could be set. On March 7, 1994, the trial court held such a hearing, but granted another evaluation at Goston’s request, and the court continued the case until April 25, 1994. At the April 25 hearing, it was determined one evaluation was still out in a separate pending case and both Goston and the prosecutor agreed this case could not go forward; the court granted another continuance until June 20, 1994. On June 20 and on August 1, 1994, Goston and the State again agreed to a continuance because an evaluation in another pending case remained outstanding. Finally, on October 31, 1994, all evaluations had been completed and filed, so the trial court set the present case for a jury trial to be held on May 16, 1995.

On May 16, 1995, Goston asked for a dismissal, claiming his speedy-trial rights had been violated. After the trial court denied his motion, Goston then moved for a continuance, stating that, during one of his other cases tried only four weeks earlier, he had caused a disturbance which had been witnessed by several of the veniremen who were prospective jurors in the present case. The trial court granted Goston’s continuance motion, agreeing he probably could not receive a fair trial, considering his earlier disruption, but, at the same time, it repeated its ruling that the speedy-trial period had been tolled. On June 26, 1995, the trial court set a new trial date for November 9, 1995.

Goston’s jury trial commenced on November 9 when, again, Goston moved that his case be dismissed for lack of a speedy trial. Once again, the trial court denied Goston’s motion, and subsequently Goston was convicted of aggravated robbery and theft of property. His only point on appeal is that his constitutional right to a speedy trial had been violated; therefore, he is entided to dismissal of the charges against him.

Goston, citing Ark. R. Crim. P. 28.1(c) and 28.2(a), argues these rules established that he was entided to have his charges dismissed because he was not brought to trial within twelve months from when he was arrested on April 13, 1993. He further argues that, once he established that he was not tried within the twelvemonth period, the burden shifts to the State to show that any delay was the result of Goston’s conduct or was otherwise justified. Collins v. State, 304 Ark. 587, 804 S.W.2d 680 (1991). Here, Goston’s trial date was held on November 9, 1995, or 940 days after his arrest, so Goston submits the State must show excludable periods authorized under Ark. R. Crim. P. 28.3 that would permissibly reduce the 940-day period to the twelve-month period required by law.

The excludable periods under Rule 28.3 relevant to the present case are as follows:

(a) The period of delay resulting from other proceedings concerning the defendant, including but not limited to an examination and hearing on the competency of the defendant and the period during which he is competent to stand trial, hearings on pretrial motions, interlocutory appeals, and trial of other charges against the defendant. (Emphasis added.)
(c) The period of delay resulting from a continuance granted at the request of the defendant or his counsel. All continuances granted at the request of the defendant or his counsel shall be to a day certain, and the period of delay shall be from the date the continuance is granted until such subsequent date contained in the order or docket entry granting the continuance.
(h) Other periods of delay for good cause.

To establish whether any delays may be excluded from the speedy-trial period under Rule 28.3, we chronologically list the following significant events:

4-13-93: Goston arrested for aggravated robbery and theft of property.
7-20-93: Per Goston’s request, court orders competency evaluation for Goston for the present case and all other pending cases (five in all).
1-14-94: Competency evaluation for the present case filed with the court.
3-7-94: Hearing to determine whether trial may be scheduled. Court grants another mental evaluation at Gos-ton’s request. The case is continued until 4-25-94.
4-25-94: Hearing to schedule trial. The court determines that one mental evaluation for another pending case is still outstanding. Goston argues, and the court and prosecution agree, that the case cannot go forward until all competency evaluations are filed with the court. Continuance until 6-20-94.
6-20-94: Hearing to schedule trial. One mental evaluation still outstanding. The court, prosecution and Goston all agree case cannot go forward until all evaluations are in. Continuance until 8-1-94.
8-1-94: Hearing to schedule trial. One mental evaluation still outstanding. Continuance until 10-17-94.
10-31-94: Hearing to schedule trial. All mental evaluations have been received by the court. Trial date is set for 5-16-95.
5-16-95: Goston brings motion to dismiss for lack of speedy trial. Court denies motion. Court grants continuance at the request of Goston. Court rules speedy trial tolled.
6-26-95: Goston is represented by new counsel. Court reschedules trial date for 11-9-95, and determines speedy trial tolled until that date.
11-9-95: Jury trial. Goston brings motion to dismiss for lack of speedy trial. Motion denied. Goston tried and convicted.

First, we point out that Goston concedes the period between July 20, 1993 and January 14, 1994, or 178 days, is properly excluded from the speedy-trial period because the parties were awaiting the results of Goston’s mental examination to determine his competency to stand trial. However, citing Johnson v. State, 27 Ark. App.

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Bluebook (online)
930 S.W.2d 332, 326 Ark. 106, 1996 Ark. LEXIS 508, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/goston-v-state-ark-1996.