| Right to speedy trial suspended during miami trade talks { November 13 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/miami/sfl-1113speedytrials,0,2682752.story?coll=sfla-news-miamihttp://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/miami/sfl-1113speedytrials,0,2682752.story?coll=sfla-news-miami
Speedy trial guarantees to be suspended in Miami for trade talks Associated Press
November 13, 2003, 5:31 PM EST
TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida Supreme Court's chief justice ordered Thursday that guarantees for speedy trials and court hearings will be suspended temporarily in Miami-Dade County because of next week's free trade meetings.
The decision applies to criminal and juvenile proceedings from Monday to Nov. 26, Chief Justice Harry Anstead said in an administrative order. It also affects domestic violence cases for the same period, and foreclosure and Baker Act hearings from Monday to Nov. 21.
``The speedy trial rule requires that criminal defendants be brought before courts in a specific period of time,'' Supreme Court spokesman Craig Waters said.
Anstead approved the request from Miami-Dade Chief Circuit Judge Joseph Farina, who asked for the precautionary move because of the estimated 20,000 or more protesters expected to fill downtown Miami for the Free Trade Area of the Americas meetings. The meetings run from Sunday to Nov. 21.
Waters said suspensions have ``happened in the past, typically with natural disasters such as hurricanes or wildfires.''
State courts in the county had already decided to curtail most of their operations, such as jury trials, during the meetings because of the threat of violent protests. Federal courts in Miami will close next week.
A state constitutional law professor said Anstead's decision ``makes sense'' because Miami officials are fairly certain that they will be ``inundated'' with protesters who could disrupt court operations.
``They've really taken the bull by the horns,'' said Bob Jarvis of Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale.
But a lawyer representing the American Civil Liberties Union said it was premature for such a decision.
``Let's say nothing does happen next week. Then you have people whose speedy trial rights were impacted'' for no reason, John De Leon said. Copyright © 2003, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
|
|