State v. Campbell

761 P.2d 393, 233 Mont. 502, 1988 Mont. LEXIS 271
Montana Supreme Court·Decided September 12, 1988·No. No. 88-89·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinions

MR. JUSTICE GULBRANDSON

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

The State of Montana (State), appeals an order of the Eighteenth Judicial District Court, Gallatin County, dismissing a fugitive warrant issued on Timothy Campbell (Campbell), defendant/respondent, and the court’s quashing of a writ of extradition. We reverse.

The issue presented by the State is whether the District Court improperly dismissed the extradition proceedings?

A stipulation of facts is attached to the State’s brief. According to this stipulation, Campbell was charged in the Eighteenth Judicial District Court on a “Complaint for Fugitive Warrant” on September 11, 1987. The complaint stated Campbell was charged in the state of Wisconsin with feloniously and intentionally failing to return rented personal property. Campbell made an initial appearance on September 14, 1987, posted bail and was released. Campbell was advised of his rights to petition the court for a writ of habeas corpus and to refuse to waive extradition to Wisconsin. Campbell refused to waive extradition at that time.

On October 16, 1987, a 30-day extension was granted by the District Court because the necessary extradition papers had not yet been processed. The Governor of the State of Montana signed a Governor’s Warrant for extradition on October 30, 1987, commanding that Campbell be apprehended on the original theft charges and additional charges of carrying a concealed weapon, reckless use of a weapon, and possession of tetrahydrocannabinol.

On November 16,1987, Campbell and his attorney appeared at the hearing held pursuant to the 30-day extension granted October 16, [504]*5041987. The District Judge directed that the Governor’s Warrant be served on the defendant and that the State of Wisconsin pick him up no later than one week from that date. The record reflects the following: that the Governor’s Warrant was served upon the defendant at the November 16 hearing in compliance with the court’s order; that Campbell was allowed to remain free on bail; and, the sheriff’s return of service of the warrant was filed with the clerk.

Paragraph seven of the stipulation of facts states:

“Defense counsel . . . was out of town during the week of November 22 through 29,1987. Because the defendant was released on bail, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s office did not know the whereabouts of the defendant. [Defense counsel’s] secretary would not divulge the defendant’s address to the sheriff’s office.

“Upon being told that the defendant was not in custody, and that the Gallatin County Sheriff could not guarantee that the defendant would appear on November 23,1987, the Wisconsin authorities sent no one to Montana to pick up the defendant . . .” (Emphasis added.)

The above time sequence is important because on November 16, 1987, the District Court stated Campbell had to be extradited by the Wisconsin authorities within a week.

At a November 23, 1987 meeting in the District Court chambers, acting defense counsel, since regular counsel was unavailable, made a motion to dismiss the proceedings. The court denied the motion. Nonetheless, the District Court informed the parties that the states of Montana and Wisconsin would have one more opportunity to extradite Campbell and that it would dismiss the extradition proceedings and Campbell would be released if extradition was not completed. The District Court did not state a specific time limit. On December 14, 1987, the County Attorney sent a letter to defense counsel which stated:

“The Sheriff has made arrangements with agents from the State of Wisconsin concerning Campbell. The Wisconsin authorities will be here on Wednesday, December 30, 1987, at 10:00 a.m., to take Campbell into custody.

“If you are still in contact with Campbell, please advise him concerning this date. If you are not in contact with Campbell, please advise the court so that other arrangements can be made.

“I trust that no further arrangements concerning this extradition will be necessary.”

On December 29, 1987, Campbell formally moved the court for an [505]*505order dismissing the fugitive warrant on grounds that the statutory time limit had expired pursuant to Section 46-30-304, MCA. On December 30, 1987, Campbell again appeared before the court. On this date a police officer from Wisconsin was present in the courtroom for the purpose of returning Campbell to Wisconsin. However, rather than releasing Campbell to the Wisconsin authorities, the court made the following statement:

“THE COURT: Well, I don’t know if I’ve got the authority to do it, but I’m going to dismiss the matter and discharge the Defendant and quash the writ of extradition on the basis that the State of Montana and the State of Wisconsin have consistently failed to comply with Court orders about getting this Defendant out of here.

“For example, on September 14, 1987, I gave the State 30 days within which to extradite the Defendant. They came before me on October 16 and had not extradited him. I gave them another 30 days. On November 16 they came before me and still had not extradited him. I gave them 7 days to get him out of here, and it’s December 30 now. They still haven’t extradited him.

“You can take this matter up to the Supreme Court and get a writ of supervisory control or whatever you think empowers the States of Montana and Wisconsin to jack a defendant around like this.

“Let him go.”

The District Court also ordered exoneration of Campbell’s bail.

The District Court made no findings of fact or conclusions of law and from the bench dismissed the matter, discharged the defendant, and quashed the writ of extradition. It is from this ruling that the State appeals. The State timely filed a notice of appeal on January 13, 1988. The State requests this Court reverse the District Court and declare the Governor’s Warrant effective.

The State contends the District Court was required to honor the Governor’s Warrant once it was issued under the Uniform Criminal Extradition Act. Section 46-30-101, et seq., MCA. The State claims Campbell was not arrested on the Governor’s Warrant and therefore no time limitation ever began to run. Campbell’s claim is that he was not extradited within the time period prescribed in Section 46-30-304, MCA. This section, read along with Section 46-30-302, MCA, allows a 90-day time period that a party may be held in custody or on bond prior to discharge and a release from bail.

This 90-day limit was addressed by this Court in Petition of Blackburn (Mont. 1985), [215 Mont. 440,] 701 P.2d 715, 42 St.Rep. 525. In Blackburn, petitioner argued that Part 3 of Chapter 30, Title 46, [506]*506MCA, imposed time limits on the issuance of the Governor’s Warrant. We held “the time limits in Section 46-30-302 and -304 refer only to the length of detention permitted before an accused person must be released from custody in the asylum state” and that “[t]hese sections do not require dismissal of extradition proceedings for any supposed time limits on issuance of the Governor’s Warrant.” Blackburn, 701 P.2d at 719.

Campbell claims he was arrested on the Governor’s Warrant on November 16, 1987, when he was served with the document at the hearing.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

State v. Campbell, 761 P.2d 393, 233 Mont. 502, 1988 Mont. LEXIS 271 (Mo. 1988).

761 P.2d 393 (State v. Campbell) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Godsey v. Houston
584 So. 2d 389 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1991)
State v. Holliman
805 P.2d 52 (Montana Supreme Court, 1991)