State v. Wise

336 So. 2d 3
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedAugust 6, 1976
Docket75-1673
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 336 So. 2d 3 (State v. Wise) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Wise, 336 So. 2d 3 (Fla. Ct. App. 1976).

Opinion

336 So.2d 3 (1976)

STATE of Florida, Appellant,
v.
Frank Junior WISE, Appellee.

No. 75-1673.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.

August 6, 1976.

*5 David H. Bludworth, State's Atty., Ann E. Vitunac, Asst. State's Atty., and Timothy S. Condon, Legal Intern, West Palm Beach, for appellant.

Richard L. Jorandby, Public Defender, and James R. Merola, Sp. Asst. Public Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellee.

MAGER, Chief Judge.

This is an appeal by the state from an order granting defendant's motion to discharge under the speedy trial rule.

The state has denominated this appeal as "interlocutory"; although no issue has been raised regarding the propriety of this method of review we are of the opinion that an interlocutory appeal will not lie. An order granting a motion to discharge under the speedy trial rule is in the nature of final disposition of the proceeding in the trial court and subject to review by a plenary appeal. State v. Johnson, 287 So.2d 322 (Fla.App.3d 1973). In light of the constitutional pronouncement "that no cause shall be dismissed because an improper remedy has been sought" and in the exercise of this court's discretion under the particular circumstances of this case the court will entertain this appeal even though improvidently styled as an interlocutory appeal. Article V, sec. 2, Fla.Constitution; see also Shute v. Keystone State Bank, 159 So.2d 106, 108 (Fla.App.3d 1963).

The record reflects that on September 18, 1968, defendant was convicted of three counts of assault with intent to commit a felony, to wit: robbery, for which he was sentenced to three terms of 15 years each in the state correctional system to run concurrently. The defendant was committed to Glades Correctional Institution and in 1974 was participating in a community work release program.

On June 28, 1974 while on work release program it appears that defendant was fired from his job and while being transported *6 back to the prison in a truck driven by an employee of the firm for whom defendant was working, defendant left the truck and allegedly was not seen again.

On July 2, 1974, an affidavit was filed setting forth the circumstances surrounding defendant's departure and subsequently on July 10, 1974, an information was filed charging defendant with escape with capias thereafter having been issued.

On September 14, 1974 defendant turned himself in to the authorities. Trial on the escape charge was thereafter set for August 18, 1975. On the morning of the day of trial a hearing was held on defendant's motion for discharge, the contention having been made that defendant was not brought to trial within one year after the date the information was filed. It was the state's position, essentially, that the time periods in the pertinent portions of the speedy trial rule did not begin to run until after the defendant was re-taken into custody, i.e. September 14, 1974, and, furthermore, that defendant was not continuously available for trial upon the charge of escape until September 14, 1974.

The provisions of the speedy trial rule applicable to the instant situation are Rule 3.191(b)(1) and Rule 3.191(e), F.R. Cr.P., which are hereinafter set forth:

"(b)(1). Prisoners in Florida; Trial Without Demand. Except as otherwise provided, a person who is imprisoned in a penal or correctional institution of this State or a subdivision thereof and who is charged by indictment or information, whether or not a detainer has been filed against such such person, shall without demand be brought to trial within one year if the crime charged be a misdemeanor or felony not involving violence, within two years if the crime charged be a noncapital felony involving violence, or if the crime charged be punishable by death; and if not brought to trial within such term shall upon motion timely filed with the court having jurisdiction and served upon the prosecuting attorney be forever discharged from the crime. The period of time established by this rule shall commence when the person is taken into custody as a result of the subject conduct or criminal episode, or when the subject charge of crime is filed, whichever is earlier, whether or not such period may commence to run before such person began to serve his term of imprisonment. The periods of time established by this section shall govern if the person is released from confinement while less than six months of such period of time for trial remains; if more than six months of such period of time for trial remains upon release from confinement, this section shall cease to apply and the rights of such person and of the State shall be governed by §§ (a)(1) and (2)."
* * * * * *
"(e) Availability for Trial. The trial of an accused who is not available shall be held in abeyance while such person is unavailable. A person who has not been continuously available for trial during the term provided for herein is not entitled to be discharged; no presumption of non-availability attaches, but if the State objects to discharge and presents any evidence tending to show non-availability, the accused then must by competent proof establish continuous availability during the term.
If an accused voluntarily removes himself from the jurisdiction of the court or otherwise acts to make himself unavailable for trial, the right to trial within the time herein provided shall on motion by the State be voidable by the court in the interests of justice. Upon such accused becoming available for trial and upon notice thereof by the accused or his counsel to both the court having jurisdiction over the trial and to the office of the prosecutor, or upon being retaken into custody, the time within which trial is to commence shall be as herein provided and begin anew."

From a reading of Rule 3.191(b)(1) it is clear that the one year period within which an accused must be brought to trial without demand commences either: (1) when the prisoner is taken into custody as a result of the subject conduct or criminal episode or *7 (2) when the subject charge of crime is filed, whichever is earlier. It should be noted at the outset that Rule 3.191(b)(1) is applicable only in those circumstances where the accused "is imprisoned in a penal or correctional institution of this State."

It is unclear as to what circumstances the framers of this rule contemplated when reference was made to condition (1) above, i.e. when the prisoner is taken into custody as a subject of the conduct or criminal episode. Since the rule on its face contemplates that the prisoner is already in custody and serving in prison in connection with a crime other than the one for which he is currently being charged, perhaps it may necessitate a formal announcement or pronouncement that "you are now in custody" for that portion of the rule to be applicable. It may also be contemplated that such rule was intended to apply to the circumstances where a defendant was admitted to bail either awaiting trial or awaiting the outcome of an appeal.

Whatever may have been the circumstance under which condition (1) was intended to apply seems unnecessary to determine inasmuch as the instant facts fall clearly within the language of condition (2), i.e. that the one year period commences "when the subject charge of crime is filed".[1]

The crime with which defendant was charged was committed while the defendant was "confined" (although admittedly an "escape" is inconsistent with and in derogation of custody or confinement). Cf.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
336 So. 2d 3, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-wise-fladistctapp-1976.