Robert Chestnut v. Martin Magnusson

This appeal presents the question whether a state’s failure to provide a system of good-time credits for time spent in pretrial detention, while allowing such credits to sentenced prisoners, amounts to a denial of equal protection to those serving sentences who, unable to make bail because of indi-gency, were incarcerated prior to trial.

I. BACKGROUND

A. Proceedings in State and Federal District Courts

Appellant pled guilty in the Maine Superior Court to a five-count indictment charging violations of Maine law (theft, burglary and escape). He was sentenced to a total of eight years imprisonment.…