Chair Brooks-Powers questions speedy trial clock for homicide cases
Brooks-Powers asks about a speedy trial clock for homicides. Zayas hasn't considered it but emphasizes the need for more trained homicide prosecutors, noting the court is always ready when both parties answer ready.
It's clear from the data that homicide cases are often particularly hard to resolve swiftly.
Would you support a change to state law that would put a speedy trial clock on homicide cases?
You know, I haven't thought about that.
But when it comes to the homicide cases, what I would love to see is the district attorney's offices have more lawyers trained to do those cases.
Because that is also one of the, you know, if a district attorney's office has five specialized homicide prosecutors, but there are six or seven or eight homicide cases,
we don't like to see them being able to try the case when everybody else might be ready.
One of the things I say.
I've been saying since day one when I was appointed chief administrative judge is that the court will always be ready.
The court will always be ready.
So if the parties come to us and both sides answer ready, you better believe that that case is going to get tried.
It's only when one side or the other insists that they cannot be ready for one reason or another.
And oftentimes it's related to important matters.
When it comes from the defense, it's some investigation that has to happen or some other issue.
And judges really loathe to force lawyers to move the case to trial when there are good reasons to not do that.
Thank you for that, Judge.