Smith v. State

812 So. 2d 1045, 2001 WL 268265
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedMarch 20, 2001
Docket1999-KA-01541-COA, 97-KA-00572
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 812 So. 2d 1045 (Smith 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
Smith v. State, 812 So. 2d 1045, 2001 WL 268265 (Mich. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

812 So.2d 1045 (2001)

Roosevelt SMITH, Jr. a/k/a "June", Appellant,
v.
STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.

Nos. 1999-KA-01541-COA, 97-KA-00572.

Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

March 20, 2001.

*1047 Charles E. Miller, Mccomb, Attorney for Appellant.

Office of the Attorney General by Deirdre McCrory, Attorney for Appellee.

Before KING, P.J., BRIDGES, and THOMAS, JJ.

KING, P.J., for the Court:

¶ 1. Roosevelt Smith, Jr. ("Smith") was convicted of Felony DUI Negligent Death in the Adams County Circuit Court. He was sentenced to serve a term of ten years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Aggrieved by his conviction and sentence, Smith has appealed and assigned the following errors:

I. The trial court erred in denying defendant's motion to dismiss in deprivation of defendant's constitutional right to a speedy trial pursuant to the sixth and fourteenth amendments to the United States Constitution and by Article 3, Section 26 of the Mississippi Constitution;
II. Defendant was denied effective assistance of counsel and a fair trial warranting reversal; and
III. The evidence is wholly insufficient to support conviction pursuant to the indictment and section 63-11-30 of the DUI vehicular homicide statute.

¶ 2. Finding no reversible error, this Court affirms.

FACTS

¶ 3. This incident occurred on Old Highway 84 in Adams County near Natchez, Mississippi on May 7, 1994. Moments prior to the incident, several children were outside playing and riding bikes in this area. One of those children was Christopher Baker, who was approximately ten years of age at the time of the incident. Some time between 7:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., a vehicle occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert approached the children. Mr. Gilbert, who was driving, slowed his vehicle down and told the children to get out of the street. Mr. Gilbert noticed another vehicle coming towards this area and pulled his car off to the side of the road. The other vehicle was driven by Roosevelt Smith, Jr.

¶ 4. Christopher Baker's bike collided with the bike of another child prior to *1048 Smith approaching this area. Christopher fell in the road with the bicycle on his leg. He fell in the same lane of traffic being traveled by Smith. As Smith approached the area, he did not acknowledge the child lying in the road nor stop his vehicle in time to avoid hitting him. Christopher Baker was killed as a result of the injuries received during the incident.

¶ 5. Shortly thereafter, Officers Ray Brown and Ricky Stevens arrived to investigate the incident. The officers smelled alcohol on Smith's breath, but observed no other indicators that Smith was intoxicated. Nevertheless, the officers took Smith to the station where he was administered an intoxilyzer test that showed a blood alcohol level of .12%. Smith was subsequently arrested and charged with the crime of Felony DUI Negligent Death.

ISSUES AND ANALYSIS

I.

Whether the trial court erred in denying defendant's motion to dismiss in deprivation of defendant's constitutional right to a speedy trial pursuant to the sixth and fourteenth amendments to the United States Constitution and by article 3, section 26 of the Mississippi Constitution.

¶ 6. Smith asserts that his constitutional right to a speedy trial has been violated. The constitutional right to a speedy trial attaches, and begins to run upon the defendant's arrest. Handley v. State, 574 So.2d 671, 674 (Miss.1990). When the right to a speedy trial is at issue, we are required to apply the balancing test announced in Barker v. Wingo, 407 U.S. 514, 92 S.Ct. 2182, 33 L.Ed.2d 101 (1972), to determine if the right to a speedy trial has been denied. Smith v. State, 550 So.2d 406, 408 (Miss.1989). The Barker factors include: (1) the length of the delay; (2) the reason for delay; (3) the defendant's assertion of his right to a speedy trial; and, (4) prejudice to the defendant by the delay. Barker, 407 U.S. at 530, 92 S.Ct. 2182. No one factor, in itself, is dispositive; rather they must be considered together in light of all the circumstances. Adams v. State, 583 So.2d 165, 167 (Miss.1991).

¶ 7. To determine whether Smith's rights have been violated, this Court examines these factors within the context of this case.

Length of Delay

¶ 8. The first factor is the length of the delay. "Until there is some delay which is presumptively prejudicial, there is no necessity for inquiry into the other factors that go into the balance." Barker, 407 U.S. at 530, 92 S.Ct. 2182. Under Mississippi law, a delay of eight months or longer is presumptively prejudicial. Smith v. State, 550 So.2d 406, 408 (Miss. 1989).

¶ 9. The chronology of events regarding this issue is as follows:

May 7, 1994 Arrested for felony DUI negligent death February 8, 1995 Indictment filed April 1, 1995 Indictment served March 28, 1997 Arraigned on felony DUI negligent death charge April 1, 1997 Trial set; continued until April 4, 1997 April 4, 1997 Motion to dismiss filed regarding speedy trial; motion denied April 4, 1997 Tried for felony DUI negligent death

From May 7, 1994, the date of arrest, to April 4, 1997, the date of trial, a period of approximately two years, ten months and twenty-eight days elapsed before Smith's case was taken to trial. Accordingly, we find that the delay in this case is presumptively prejudicial.

*1049 Reason for the Delay

¶ 10. The State bears the responsibility of bringing a defendant to speedy trial. Turner v. State, 383 So.2d 489, 491 (Miss.1980). Because there is presumptive prejudice due to the length of the delay in Smith's trial, the State has the burden of providing a valid reason for the delay. We find that the State has offered no explanation for the delay in the case at bar. Nor does the record suggest that the defendant was responsible for the delay. Where the record is silent regarding the reason for the delay, the clock ticks against the State. Flores v. State, 574 So.2d 1314, 1317 (Miss.1990) (citing Vickery v. State, 535 So.2d 1371 (Miss.1988)). This factor is weighed against the State.

Assertion of the Right

¶ 11. Although it is the State's duty to insure that the defendant receives a speedy trial, a defendant has some responsibility to assert this right. Wiley v. State, 582 So.2d 1008, 1012 (Miss.1991). Smith was represented by appointed counsel. Smith's first appointed counsel left the area for an extended period of time. During his attorney's absence, Smith did not assert his right to a speedy trial. Because Smith was effectively without the assistance of counsel, the failure to assert the right to a speedy trial during that time is understandable. Ultimately, Smith was appointed another attorney who filed the motion to dismiss on the day of the trial. Smith contends that, "in as much as no action was taken on his case by the state or the court since the indictment of February 8, 1995, the assertion of a right to speedy trial via the motion to dismiss constituted a timely assertion of his right to a speedy trial." We are compelled to note that a motion to dismiss for lack of a speedy trial is not the same as a demand for a speedy trial, Rhyne v. State,

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Bluebook (online)
812 So. 2d 1045, 2001 WL 268265, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/smith-v-state-missctapp-2001.