New York v. Hill, 528 U.S. 110, 9 (2000)

Page:   Index   Previous  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9

118

NEW YORK v. HILL

Opinion of the Court

gree of party control that is consonant with the background presumption of waivability." Mezzanatto, 513 U. S., at 206.3

Finally, respondent argues that even if waiver of the IAD's time limits is possible, it can be effected only by affirmative conduct not present here. The New York Court of Appeals adopted a similar view, stating that the speedy trial rights guaranteed by the IAD may be waived either "explicitly or by an affirmative request for treatment that is contrary to or inconsistent with those speedy trial rights." 92 N. Y. 2d, at 411, 704 N. E. 2d, at 545. The court concluded that defense counsel's agreement to the trial date here was not an "affirmative request" and therefore did not constitute a waiver. Id., at 412, 704 N. E. 2d, at 546. We agree with the State that this makes dismissal of the indictment turn on a hypertechnical distinction that should play no part. As illustrated by this case, such an approach would enable defendants to escape justice by willingly accepting treatment inconsistent with the IAD's time limits, and then recanting later on. Nothing in the IAD requires or even suggests a distinction between waiver proposed and waiver agreed to. In light of its potential for abuse—and given the harsh remedy of dismissal with prejudice—we decline to adopt it.

* * *

The judgment of the New York Court of Appeals is reversed.

It is so ordered.

3 In concluding that objection to a specified delay may be waived, we are mindful that the sending State may have interests distinct from those of the prisoner and the receiving State. This case does not involve any objection from the sending State, and we do not address what recourse the sending State might have under the IAD when the receiving State and prisoner agree to, and the court allows, an inordinate delay. Cf. Article V(e) ("At the earliest practicable time consonant with the purposes of this agreement, the prisoner shall be returned to the sending State").

Page:   Index   Previous  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9

Last modified: October 4, 2007