Thompson v. State

773 So. 2d 955, 2000 WL 1146873
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedAugust 15, 2000
Docket1999-KA-00197-COA
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 773 So. 2d 955 (Thompson 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
Thompson v. State, 773 So. 2d 955, 2000 WL 1146873 (Mich. Ct. App. 2000).

Opinion

773 So.2d 955 (2000)

Cedric C. THOMPSON, Appellant,
v.
STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.

No. 1999-KA-00197-COA.

Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

August 15, 2000.
Rehearing Denied October 10, 2000.
Certiorari Denied December 7, 2000.

*957 Thomas M. Fortner, Robert M. Ryan, Jackson, Attorneys for Appellant.

Office of the Attorney General by John R. Henry, Jr., Attorney for Appellee.

BEFORE KING, P.J., PAYNE, AND THOMAS, JJ.

KING, P.J., for the Court:

¶ 1. Cedric Thompson has appealed his conviction of armed robbery by the Circuit Court of Hinds County, Mississippi. The circuit court sentenced Thompson to serve a term of thirty-six years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Aggrieved by his conviction and sentence, Thompson raises the following issues on appeal: 1) whether subsequent reindictment on armed robbery unfairly prejudiced the defendant and resulted in a denial of due process and violated his rights under the United States and Mississippi constitutions, 2) whether the prosecution committed plain and reversible error during closing argument by improperly commenting on the defendant's failure to testify at trial, 3) whether the trial court committed reversible error by failing to honor his right to compel attendance of witnesses to testify in his defense, 4) whether the trial court committed plain and reversible error in denying defense objections to hearsay, and 5) whether the trial court committed plain and reversible error by not following proper discovery procedures due to violations by the State.

FACTS

¶ 2. At 8:00 a.m. on December 11, 1994, Jean Collier, the cashier at Wasco Laundromat, was preparing coffee for customers when Cedric Thompson entered the facility. After purchasing a peppermint, Thompson headed to the exit. Before reaching the door, he turned and asked for a quarter in exchange for two dimes and a nickel. Collier, suspicious of what would happen next, stepped back from the register. Thompson displayed a .22 caliber gun and asked for all the money in the cash register. After taking some money, Thompson assaulted Collier and knocked her to the floor while shouting obscenities.

¶ 3. While still pointing the gun at Collier, Thompson took more money from the cash register and then attempted to flee the scene. Collier, fearing that Thompson *958 might shoot her or one of the customers, grabbed her gun from underneath the counter and fired three shots as Thompson stepped out of the door. Thompson fell to the floor and remained there until police arrived.

¶ 4. In September 1995, Thompson was indicted for robbery with a deadly weapon. However, because of the State's violation of the defendant's statutory right to speedy trial, this indictment was dismissed without prejudice on January 27, 1997. Thompson was reindicted on February 11, 1997, for robbery with a deadly weapon. On October 6, 1997, the day of trial, Thompson moved to dismiss the case with prejudice based on state and constitutional violations of his right to a speedy trial. The trial court denied this motion. At the close of trial, the jury found Thompson guilty of robbery with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced to serve a term of thirty-six years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. After Thompson's post-trial motions were denied, he perfected this appeal.

ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF THE LAW

I.

Whether subsequent reindictment on a charge of armed robbery unfairly prejudiced the defendant and resulted in a denial of due process and violated his rights under the United States and Mississippi constitutions.

¶ 5. In Thompson's first assignment of error, he asserts that his constitutional right to a speedy trial has been violated. Thompson contends that the dismissal without prejudice of the original indictment and subsequent reindictment for the same crime violated his constitutional right to a speedy trial. To determine whether these rights were violated, this Court must examine the events leading to the indictment and the reindictment.

¶ 6. The defendant's constitutional right to a speedy trial is guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution. This right attaches, and time begins to run, upon the defendant's arrest. Handley v. State, 574 So.2d 671, 674 (Miss.1990). When the constitutional right to a speedy trial attaches, 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 speedy trial has been denied. Smith v. State, 550 So.2d 406, 408 (Miss.1989). The four Barker factors, which must be balanced in light of all surrounding circumstances, are: (1) length of delay, (2) reason for delay, (3) the defendant's assertion of his right to speedy trial and (4) prejudice resulting to the defendant. Barker, 407 U.S. at 530, 92 S.Ct. 2182. "No one of the factors is, in itself, dispositive; rather they must be considered together in light of all the circumstances." Adams v. State, 583 So.2d 165, 167 (Miss.1991). This Court considers these factors below.

Length of Delay

¶ 7. The first factor, length of delay, is considered to be the triggering mechanism for an inquiry into the other factors. "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). Although the supreme court has on a few occasions observed that a seven month delay was sufficient to merit an inquiry into the other Barker factors, this shorter time period has not become the rule. Adams v. State, 583 So.2d 165, 168 (Miss. 1991). The supreme court has continued to hold that presumptive prejudice usually arises only after an eight month delay. Herring v. State, 691 So.2d 948, 955 (Miss. 1997); Atterberry v. State, 667 So.2d 622, 626 (Miss.1995).

*959 ¶ 8. To place this issue in perspective, this Court has included a chronology of events beginning with Thompson's arrest on the robbery charge and ending with his trial:

December 11, 1994 Arrested for armed robbery June 8, 1995 Indicted on armed robbery charge July 21, 1995 Arraigned on armed robbery charge October, 17, 1995 Tried and convicted on burglary charge January 20, 1997 Motion to dismiss the armed robbery charge filed by Thompson January 27, 1997 Armed robbery charge dismissed withoutprejudice February 11, 1997 Reindicted on robbery charge March 24, 1997 Motion for a continuance filed by Thompson May 29, 1997 Motion for a continuance filed by Thompson August 12, 1997 Motion for a continuance filed by Thompson October 6, 1997 Tried on robbery charge

¶ 9. From December 11, 1994, the date of arrest, to October 6, 1997, the date of trial, 1031 days or two years, nine months and six days elapsed. On January 27, 1997, the court dismissed the armed robbery indictment filed in June of 1995 due to a statutory speedy trial violation which weighed against the State.

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773 So. 2d 955, 2000 WL 1146873, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thompson-v-state-missctapp-2000.