State v. Fairchild

BURNETT, Judge.

Roger Kim Fairchild stands convicted of possessing cocaine with intent to deliver. On appeal he raises a host of issues concerning denial of a speedy trial, failure to suppress illegally seized evidence, and prosecutorial misconduct during his trial. For reasons explained below, we deem the speedy trial issue to be dispositive and we reverse the judgment of conviction.

This unusual case presents a convoluted procedural history. Fairchild was arrested on February 27, 1978. For reasons undisclosed by the record, a criminal complaint was not filed until April 14. Fairchild promptly…