State Ex Rel. Knotts v. Facemire

McHUGH, Justice:

Petitioner James L. Knotts seeks a writ of prohibition to prevent a criminal jury trial set before the Circuit Court of Clay County 1 from proceeding based on the lengthy delay between the alleged criminal offenses and the issuance of the indictment predicated on those offenses. Citing the thirteen-year period between when the State was first made aware of the alleged offenses and when it finally decided to charge him, 2 Petitioner argues that the delay constitutes a violation of his due process rights. 3 In explanation of the lengthy delay, the State asserts that the alleged…