A Flint man's conviction for the 2019 shooting death of three teens has been upheld by the Michigan Court of Appeals, confirming that the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic did not infringe on his constitutional right to a speedy trial. As FOX 2 reported, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton announced, "This was a very important ruling issued by the Michigan Court of Appeals."
Quatrail Smith, 32, was found guilty on three counts of first-degree premeditated murder and various firearm offenses related to the homicides which took place on Illinois Avenue in Flint. The victims were between the ages of 16 and 18. Before being convicted, Smith had been incarcerated for over two and a half years, a delay his attorney argued was a violation of his right to a speedy trial. However, according to WNEM, the Court recognized the "immeasurable, unexpected, and unprecedented stress on our court system" due to the pandemic, ruling that the rights of Smith weren't violated.
Leyton expressed his approval of the decision, stating that it is not only a win for his office and the safety of Genesee County residents, but also for prosecutors across the state. Sentenced to life in prison without parole, Smith's challenges to jury instructions, the sufficiency of the evidence, and the imposition of court costs were found meritless by the Court, which also dismissed his claims of ineffective assistance of counsel.
The Court's decision has set a precedent on how pandemic-related delays are to be perceived in terms of constitutional rights, as highlighted by ABC12. This case out of Genesee County will stand as binding case law throughout the State of Michigan. "Since this was a published opinion, it means this case out of Genesee County will be new authoritative, binding case law throughout the State," Leyton told FOX 2.
