United States v. Moores

620 F. Supp. 241
District Court, D. Puerto Rico·Decided September 6, 1985·No. Crim. No. 84-324 (JP)·Published

Opinion

ORDER

PIERAS, District Judge.

Defendant Moores has filed several motions requesting the dismissal of the case due to alleged violations of the Speedy Trial Act, 18 U.S.C. 3161, et seq.

Defendant was indicted on August 29, 1984 and a Motion to Dismiss was filed on September 4, 1985, 372 days later.

As the defendant correctly stated, the Speedy Trial Act requires that a defendant be brought to trial within seventy (70) days of either indictment or first appearance before a judicial officer, but the Act also permits the exclusions of delay periods caused by specific kinds of pre-trial activity from the computation of this seventy-day period.

Since the Motions to Dismiss have been duly presented under the Act (18 U.S.C. 3161, et seq.), the Court must review the course of events from indictment up to the filing of the motion to dismiss as of late in this case, September 4, 1985. United States v. Pringle, 751 F.2d 419, 429 (1st Cir.1984).

The exclusion of periods is not left by the Act as discretionary, for the statute sets out specifically what can be excluded and what is not to be excluded.

In order to clarify to all parties’ concern, we will first make a chronology on the major events occurring during the 372 days elapsed from the filing of the Indictment to the filing of the Motion to Dismiss. Although the defendant has filed three motions, we use the latest date since that motion is the only one that complies with [243] the local rules of this Court and, besides, it is to defendant’s benefit since it was filed at the latest day.

I. The Chronology:

On August 29, 1984 an indictment was filed against the defendant Ms. Moores and her two co-defendants. (No mention is made as to the co-defendants in this order since their case was long disposed of). On August 31, a codefendant was arraigned. Three motions on behalf of the codefendant were filed on September 5, 1984, one motion on behalf of defendant filed on September 6, 1984, and the Arraignment of Ms. Moores held that same day; an Order by the U.S. Magistrate in relation to the physical health of the defendant was also entered on that date. On September 7, 1984, a Bail Reduction Hearing was held on expedite manner due to the health problems alleged by defendant and counsel. On September 19, 1984, a Minute was entered notifying the parties of a Status Conference before the Court for September 26, 1984. On that same date, a motion was filed by the defendant requesting a review of the conditions of release and an opposition filed on the 20th of September by the government. On the 24th of September, an Order was entered reducing the bail originally imposed. On that same date, 3 motions were filed on defendant’s behalf, including a Motion to Suppress. On the next day, the 25th day of September, four additional motions were filed by Ms. Moores, including a Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction. The Court met with counsel for the defendant on the 26th of September. The Court referred all motions filed to the U.S. Magistrate for a Report and Recommendation. The Government filed an Omnibus Reply to all pending motions the 15th day of October and an additional motion to destroy bulk evidence; in the meantime, the defendant filed two more motions that day. On October 19,1984, the Magistrate further amended the bail conditions and eliminated the cash bail requirement and substituted it for sureties. Defendant further filed 2 motions on the 19th, one on the 22nd, six on the 29th of October, and six on the 30th of October. The Court held a hearing on the 30th of October to consider several motions filed by defendant Moores. At the conclusion of the Hearing, the Court referred all pending motions to the U.S. Magistrate and scheduled Trial for December 3, 1984. On November 1st, 1984, the Court entered an Order pursuant to the Hearing held the previous day clarifying the bail conditions imposed.

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United States v. Moores, 620 F. Supp. 241 (prd 1985).

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