State v. Romero

1984 NMCA 087, 687 P.2d 96, 101 N.M. 661
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 14, 1984
Docket7673
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 1984 NMCA 087 (State v. Romero) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Romero, 1984 NMCA 087, 687 P.2d 96, 101 N.M. 661 (N.M. Ct. App. 1984).

Opinion

OPINION

WOOD, Judge.

Convicted of burglary and larceny under $100.00, defendant appeals, contending his trial was delayed so long that he was entitled to dismissal of the charges. We discuss (1) speedy trial, and (2) NMSA 1978, Crim.P. Rule 37.

Speedy Trial

The indictment was filed October 13, 1982; the trial began January 4, 1984. The speedy trial claim is not based on the time lapse between these dates. Rather, the claim is based on the time lapse between arraignment on October 25, 1982 and October 5, 1983. The October 5, 1983 date is the termination date of the speedy trial claim because that was an available trial date which defendant declined. In addition, a substantial portion of the trial delay after October 5, 1983 is attributable to defendant’s non-cooperation in connection with an examination by a psychiatrist. See State v. Mascarenas, 84 N.M. 153, 500 P.2d 438 (Ct.App.1972).

The eleven and one-half months involved in the speedy trial claim was presumptively prejudicial and this triggered an inquiry into the four factors which must be balanced in deciding a speedy trial issue. State v. Johnston, 98 N.M. 92, 645 P.2d 448 (Ct.App.1982); State v. Tafoya, 91 N.M. 121, 570 P.2d 1148 (Ct.App.1977). Those four factors are length of delay, reason for the delay, defendant’s assertion of the right and prejudice to the defendant. State v. Tafoya.

As we explain in discussing the issue under Crim.P. Rule 37, the delay and the reason for the delay are the state’s responsibility. Defendant, however, raised no speedy trial issue until his motion to dismiss, filed September 6,1983, one month before the expiration of the time period on which defendant relies. Barker v. Wingo, 407 U.S. 514, 531-32, 92 S.Ct. 2182, 2192-93, 33 L.Ed.2d 101 (1972) states:

Whether and how a defendant asserts his right is closely related to the other factors we have mentioned. The strength of his efforts will be affected by the length of the delay, to some extent by the reason for the delay, and most particularly by the personal prejudice, which is not always readily identifiable, that he experiences. The more serious the deprivation, the more likely a defendant is to complain. The defendant’s assertion of his speedy trial right, then, is entitled to strong evidentiary weight in determining whether the defendant is being deprived of the right. We emphasize that failure to assert the right will make it difficult for a defendant to prove that he was denied a speedy trial.

The claim of prejudice stated in defendant’s brief is: “[A] Dr. Litman, who examined the Appellant on January 4, 1983 * * would have been able to offer information regarding the Appellant’s mental state, which was placed at issue by Appellant’s Trial counsel.” The contention is that Dr. Litman saw and examined defendant on January 4 and March 4, 1983 at the penitentiary; that counsel learned, on September 1, 1983, that defendant might be a schizophrenic; that counsel attempted to telephone Dr. Litman on September 22, 1983 and was informed that Dr. Litman no longer worked at the penitentiary; that Dr. Litman was working in Washington, D.C. and that the penitentiary did not have Dr. Litman’s address or telephone number in Washington, D.C. Counsel’s affidavit asserts “Dr. Litman could have testified as to Mr. Romero’s mental state immediately after the arrest of Mr. Romero on the above-styled Indictment.”

The claim of prejudice goes to the defense of insanity at the time of commission of the offenses and inability of defendant to form a specific intent. These defenses were first asserted by pleadings filed September 12, 1983. See NMSA 1978, Crim. P.R. 35(a) and (e) (Cum.Supp.1984). We assume (the record is silent) that Dr. Lit-man was a person qualified to testify as to defendant’s mental condition. There is nothing indicating to what Dr. Litman would testify; there is nothing indicating that Dr. Litman’s notes could not be obtained from penitentiary officials; there is nothing indicating that Dr. Litman (who we assume is a mental health professional) could not be located in Washington, D.C., or that counsel made any effort to locate him; and no more than a suggestion that similar information could not be obtained from other mental health professionals. The entire claim is based on no more than the possibility of prejudice. See State v. Powers, 97 N.M. 32, 636 P.2d 303 (Ct.App.1981).

Balancing defendant’s delay in asserting his right to a speedy trial and his speculative showing that the absence of Dr. Lit-man might prejudice the defense against the state’s responsibility for the delay of eleven and one-half months, the trial court did not err in denying the motion to dismiss for lack of a speedy trial.

Criminal Procedure Rule 37

The indictment was filed on October 13, 1982. The applicable provisions of Crim.P. Rule 37 are the provisions of the rule as amended by the supreme court by order dated December 31, 1981 for cases filed on or after February 1, 1982. (See Judicial Pamphlet 6, Special Supplement for Amendments from July 1,1981 through January 1, 1982.) The applicable provisions state:

(b) Time limits for commencement of trial. The trial of a criminal case or an habitual criminal proceeding shall be commenced six months after whichever of the following events occurs latest:
(1) the date of arraignment, or waiver of arraignment, in the district court of any defendant;
* * * * * *
(5) the date of arrest of the defendant after conditions of release have been revoked for failure to appear as required[.]

The applicable rule provided for extensions of time (Crim.P.R. 37(c)), but there were no extensions in this case. The rule (Crim.P.R. 37(d)) provided for dismissal with prejudice if there had been no extensions of time and the trial did “not commence within the time specified in Paragraph (b) * *

The trial, which began January 4, 1984, did not commence within six months of the arraignment on October 25, 1982. The violation of Crim.P. Rule 37(b)(1) is not disputed. The trial court denied defendant’s pretrial motion to dismiss on the basis of Crim.P. Rule 37(b)(5).

On the date of arraignment, October 25, 1982, the trial court signed a release order. This order provided that “defendant * * * be released” upon compliance “with the conditions checked”. The checked conditions provided for defendant’s release upon execution of a bond, either cash or security, in the amount of $10,000.00. Defendant never posted this bond; he was never released. Defendant was continuously incarcerated on the charges in this case, and also incarcerated because of other matters, from the time of his arrest on the charges in this case.

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Bluebook (online)
1984 NMCA 087, 687 P.2d 96, 101 N.M. 661, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-romero-nmctapp-1984.