Terry Kent Ringstaff v. Dale Howard and the Attorney General of the State of Alabama, Don Siegelman

Today, this Court effectively deletes from the Constitution a goodly portion of the speedy trial guarantee. I am constrained to dissent.

I. INTRODUCTION

Numerous cases currently on the docket of the United States Supreme Court present important and widely applicable issues of criminal law and procedure. See, e.g., Florida v. Wells, cert. granted, — U.S. -, 109 S.Ct. 3183, 105 L.Ed.2d 692 (1989) (inventory rationale for warrantless search of closed container in impounded vehicle); Maryland v. Buie, cert. granted, — U.S. -, 109 S.Ct. 2447, 104 L.Ed.2d 1001 (1989) (validity of cursory search for…