Lawrence v. State

In February 2006, Choici Lawrence, Keith Barber, Latea Davis and others were arrested in Muscogee County for conspiracy to traffic in cocaine. The case was bound over to Muscogee County Superior Court, but an indictment was never returned in that case. Instead, in September 2006, Lawrence, Barber, Davis and others were indicted in neighboring Harris County for trafficking in cocaine. Lawrence moved to quash the indictment on the ground that the Muscogee County case, which was based on the same alleged facts as the Harris County indictment, was still pending. Thereafter, the state dismissed the unindicted Muscogee County case, and the trial court denied Lawrence’s motion to quash the Harris County indictment. Lawrence, Barber and Davis all moved to dismiss the indicted Harris County charges, alleging that their constitutional rights to a speedy trial had been violated. The trial court denied the motions. Lawrence, Barber and Davis each appeal from the denial of their motions for discharge and acquittal, and Lawrence also appeals from the denial of his motion to quash. We find no reversible error and thus affirm the judgment of the trial court.

A07A1982, A07A1984, A07A1985