State v. Watkins

GULOTTA, Justice ad hoc *.

In these consolidated cases, we are confronted with the sole issue whether a defendant who is ordered released forthwith because of a violation of the seventy-two-hour requirement of LSA-C.Cr.P. Art. 230.11 can thereafter be rearrested and required to post bond on the same charges. After their initial arrests, these defendants were not brought before a judge by local law enforcement officials within the seventy-two hours mandated by LSA-C.Cr.P. Art. 230.1(A).

These two cases arose out of similar factual circumstances. Benny Watkins was arrested by the Amite City…