Summary
The Supreme Court of Kentucky held that the presumption of prosecutorial vindictiveness does not apply to the addition of a felony charge following a mistrial caused by a hung jury, absent a reasonable likelihood of actual vindictiveness. The court reversed the Court of Appeals and reinstated Rickey D. Leap's convictions and sentence.
Holdings
- The presumption of prosecutorial vindictiveness recognized in post-conviction and resentencing contexts does not extend to the pretrial addition of an appropriate charge after a hung-jury mistrial absent a reasonable likelihood of actual vindictiveness.
- The unpreserved claim did not establish palpable error requiring relief because no prosecutorial-vindictiveness error occurred and the record did not show manifest injustice.
Questions Presented
- Whether adding a felony wanton-endangerment charge after a mistrial caused by a hung jury gives rise to a presumption of prosecutorial vindictiveness.
- Whether the Court of Appeals properly remanded for a hearing requiring the Commonwealth to establish a neutral objective reason for adding the charge.
Disposition
reversed
Cases Cited (12)
- North Carolina v. Pearce, 395 U.S. 711, 89 S. Ct. 2072, 23 L. Ed. 2d 656 (1969)(limited)
- Alabama v. Smith, 490 U.S. 794, 109 S. Ct. 2201, 104 L. Ed. 2d 865 (1989)(followed)
- Blackledge v. Perry, 417 U.S. 21, 94 S. Ct. 2098, 40 L. Ed. 2d 628 (1974)(followed)
- Bordenkircher v. Hayes, 434 U.S. 357, 98 S. Ct. 663, 54 L. Ed. 2d 604 (1978)(followed)
- United States v. Goodwin, 457 U.S. 368, 373, 381, 102 S. Ct. 2485, 73 L. Ed. 2d 74 (1982)(followed)
- State v. Johnson, 232 Wis. 2d 679, 605 N.W.2d 846 (2000)(persuasive)
- United States v. Mays, 738 F.2d 1188, 1190 (11th Cir. 1984)(persuasive)
- United States v. Whaley, 830 F.2d 1469, 1479-80 (7th Cir. 1987)(persuasive)
- United States v. Durrive, 902 F.2d 1221 (7th Cir. 1990)(persuasive)
- Twiggs v. Superior Court, 34 Cal. 3d 360, 194 Cal. Rptr. 152, 667 P.2d 1165 (1983)(distinguished)
Showing top 10 of 12.
Cited In (0)
No citing cases on record yet.
Court Document
Open PDFLoading document…