Barber v. McFaul, Unpublished Decision (12-19-2003)
Barber v. McFaul, Unpublished Decision (12-19-2003)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} R.C.
{¶ 3} Crim.R. 7(A) provides that when a court has advised a defendant of the nature of the charge against him and his right to indictment, the defendant may waive that right in writing and in open court. When the indictment is waived, the offense may be prosecuted by information, unless an indictment is filed within fourteen days after the waiver. If an information or indictment is not filed within fourteen days after the date of waiver, the defendant shall be discharged and the complaint dismissed. Crim.R. 7(A) further provides that the rule shall not prevent subsequent prosecution by information or indictment for the same offense.
{¶ 4} Mr. Barber avers that he waived indictment in open court and consented to indictment by information." The prosecutor had 14 days to indict me. Therefore I should [have] been discharged and complaint dismissed according to the law — Criminal Rule 7." (Paragraph 3 of the Complaint.) Mr. Barber then submits that because he is being unlawfully held, R.C.
{¶ 5} The motion to dismiss argues that the Sheriff is the wrong respondent because the sheriff does not have the authority to discharge a prisoner and that the matter is moot. The Grand Jury on September 26, 2003, indicted Mr. Barber on one count of trafficking in crack cocaine and one count of possession of crack cocaine.
{¶ 6} The requisites for mandamus are well established: (1) the relator must have a clear legal right to the requested relief, (2) the respondent must have a clear legal duty to perform the requested relief and (3) there must be no adequate remedy at law. State ex rel. Ney v.Niehaus (1987),
{¶ 7} In the present case, Mr. Barber's failure to plead with sufficient specificity warrants dismissal. He has failed to aver whether an information was issued against him, thus precluding the need for an indictment under R.C.
{¶ 8} Additionally, the relator failed to support his complaint with an affidavit "specifying the details of the claim" as required by Local Rule 45(B)(1)(a). State ex rel. Wilson v. Calabrese (Jan. 18, 1996), Cuyahoga App. No. 70077 and State ex rel. Smith v. McMonagle (July 17, 1996), Cuyahoga App. No. 70899. As indicated above, this case highlights the need for an affidavit specifying the details of the claim so that this court might have sufficient foundation for resolving the matter.
{¶ 9} This court further concludes that the subsequent indictments moot the application for mandamus. Crim.R. 7(A) provides that even if a prisoner may be entitled to discharge for failure to prosecute, such a discharge does not prevent subsequent prosecution by indictment. The September 26, 2003 indictments provide cause for the sheriff to detain Mr. Barber now, and any previous duty to notify the court to hold an examining court is now nullified. Howell v. Keiter (1957),
{¶ 10} The relator has also failed to comply with R.C.
{¶ 11} Accordingly, the court grants the motion to dismiss and dismisses the application for a writ of mandamus. Costs assessed against relator. The clerk is directed to serve upon the parties notice of this judgment and its date of entry upon the journal. Civ.R. 58(B).
Ann Dyke, P.J., and Frank D. Celebrezze, Jr., J., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.