Magnusen v. State

741 So. 2d 282, 1998 Miss. App. LEXIS 686, 1998 WL 613851
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedSeptember 15, 1998
DocketNo. 96-KA-00647 COA
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 741 So. 2d 282 (Magnusen v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Magnusen v. State, 741 So. 2d 282, 1998 Miss. App. LEXIS 686, 1998 WL 613851 (Mich. Ct. App. 1998).

Opinion

SOUTHWICK, Judge,

for the Court:

¶ 1. David Eugene Magnusen was convicted by a jury in the Circuit Court of Harrison County of the crimes of burglary of an occupied dwelling, aggravated assault, robbery, and rape. Magnusen challenges his conviction on these grounds: (1) the State violated his constitutional right to a speedy trial; (2) the trial court failed to appoint or grant his defense counsel an opportunity to obtain a forensic expert; (3) the court refused to disperse funds for the procurement of a private investigator; (4) the State obtained blood and hair samples from him in violation of his Fourth Amendment right and without informing him of his right to refuse such intrusions; (5) the court erred in denying his motion to suppress the testimony of Dr. Moran, the emergency room physician who examined the victim; and (6) the verdict was against the overwhelming weight of the evidence. These assignments of error are without merit and we affirm.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

¶ 2. During the early morning hours of May 19, 1990, Evelyn Verchinski was awakened by the sounds of her dog’s incessant barking. Ms. Verchinski, who lived alone, got up to investigate. As she turned on the light in her dining room,*she noticed an unusual reflection in a mirror located down the hallway. Ms. Verchinski turned off the light and when she turned it on again a young man, armed with a shovel, suddenly ran toward her. She attempted to escape by running into the garage and then into the backyard where she kept her dog. The attacker, however, lunged toward her and forced her to the ground in the garage.

¶ 3. A fierce struggle ensued. Ms. Ver-chinski tried to spray the intruder with flea spray and to bite through his sock-covered arms. However, the attacker struck her in the face with the shovel and then slammed her against the vehicle parked in the garage. The intruder then dragged her into the residence. Once inside, he instructed Ms. Verchinski to clean the blood from her face and nightgown. The intruder demanded money and then ordered her into the bedroom. He forced Ms. Verchinski to undress and to engage in fellatio and sexual intercourse. When a knock at the front door startled the attacker, he tied Ms. Verchinski to a chair, placed her in a spare bedroom, and fled from the residence. Shortly thereafter, Ms. Verchinski managed to untie herself, [286]*286call the police, and give a description of the suspect. She was transported to the local hospital where authorities performed a sexual assault examination.

¶ 4. An officer from the Gulfport Police Department was advised of the attack. As he responded to the scene, the officer noticed an individual matching the physical description of the attacker standing outside a local bar. The officer attempted to stop and question the man, but he jumped over a fence and escaped. The officer and Ms. Verchinski subsequently identified David Eugene Magnusen in a photographic line-up as the person each had seen. Ms. Verchinski later also positively identified Magnusen in a line-up at the police station.

¶ 5. On May 30, 1990, Magnusen was apprehended and indicted for burglary of an occupied dwelling, aggravated assault, robbery, and rape. The court conducted a hearing based on an alleged violation of Magnusen’s constitutional right to a speedy trial. The court concluded that there had been a violation and dismissed all charges on August 22, 1991. The State appealed, though its request for an expedited hearing was denied by the supreme court.

¶ 6. On November 17, 1994, the supreme court issued its opinion in the case. The court held that the trial court paid insufficient attention to the various distinct periods of delay in reaching its conclusion. The court also concluded that the trial court erroneously required that the delay be for good and sufficient cause rather than determining whether the reason weighed heavily, lightly, or not at all. Consequently, the court reversed and remanded the cause for Magnusen to stand trial on all charges. See State v. Magnusen, 646 So.2d 1275 (Miss.1994).

¶ 7. Magnusen’s attorney filed, and the supreme court granted, a petition for an enlargement of time to file a petition for rehearing. However, there is no record that a petition for rehearing was ever filed. On January 17, 1995, the circuit clerk received the supreme court’s mandate. An order to reinstate the cause on the docket was filed on January 20, 1995. Extradition proceedings to have Magnusen returned from incarceration in Wisconsin were not concluded until July 22, 1995. Trial commenced on February 26, 1996, and Magnusen was convicted on all counts.

DISCUSSION

I. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO A SPEEDY TRIAL

¶ 8. Magnusen asserts that the trial court committed reversible error by failing to dismiss for lack of a speedy trial due to additional delays that occurred after remand. He was arrested on May 30, 1990, and not tried until February 26, 1996. He alleges that this delay prejudiced his case and violated his constitutional right to a speedy trial. Magnusen makes no claim concerning the statutory 270-day rule under Section 99-17-1 of the Mississippi Code.

¶ 9. The right to a speedy trial is guaranteed by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, as well as Article 3, Section 26 of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890. An alleged violation of the constitutional right to a speedy trial is examined under a four part test announced in Barker v. Wingo, 407 U.S. 514, 92 S.Ct. 2182, 33 L.Ed.2d 101 (1972). The factors, which must be balanced in light of all surrounding circumstances, are: (1) the length of delay; (2) the reason for the delay; (3) the defendant’s assertion of his right to a speedy trial; and (4) any prejudice to the defendant resulting from the delay. Id. at 533, 92 S.Ct. 2182; Giles v. State, 650 So.2d 846, 850 (Miss.1995). The weight given to each factor “turns on the peculiar facts and circumstances of each case, the quality of evidence available on each factor and, in the absence of evidence, identification of the party with the risk of non-persuasion.” [287]*287Stogner v. State, 627 So.2d 815, 818 (Miss.1993).

¶ 10. The circuit court found there to be no speedy trial violation but did not articulate specific findings of fact. In such circumstances, the appellate court must itself apply de novo the four Barker factors. See State v. Ferguson, 576 So.2d 1252, 1255 (Miss.1991). We do so now.

A. Length of Delay

¶ 11. The first task is to designate a starting point for the speedy trial calculations. The constitutional right to a speedy trial generally attaches at the time a person is effectively accused of a crime. Box v. State, 610 So.2d 1148, 1150 (Miss.1992). The procedural history of this case presents an unusual though not unique situation. Magnusen was arrested on May 30, 1990. The trial court dismissed the case on August 22, 1991. On November 17, 1994, the supreme court reinstated the prosecution and ordered Magnusen to stand trial on all charges. The court granted Magnusen’s request for an extension of time to file his petition for rehearing; however, no such petition was ever filed. The court’s mandate was issued on January 13, 1995 and was received by the circuit clerk on January 17,1995.

¶ 12.

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741 So. 2d 282, 1998 Miss. App. LEXIS 686, 1998 WL 613851, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/magnusen-v-state-missctapp-1998.