Jury Finds Man Guilty of DUI after 20 Years
Do not drink and drive! We firmly believe in that. But, with that said, don't you think this one fell thru the cracks of the legal system?
The North Dakota Supreme Court is considering whether a 20-year delay in prosecuting a man for drunk driving violated his right to a speedy trial.
William Gale was arrested for DUI in March 1995 in Grand Forks, but wasn't called to court until this past summer, when a jury found him guilty of the charge.
Gale moved to Colorado shortly after the DUI arrest and was told by his previous lawyer that he would settle the case in Gale's absence. But it never happened.
The city allegedly sent Gale three notices two decades ago telling him the case was not settled. Gale said he wasn't aware of the warrant, however, until he discovered it while applying for a job earlier this year.
What is even more strange, Gale was involved in separate court cases in two North Dakota counties during the past 20 years and authorities failed to flag the outstanding warrant.
Source: StarTribune
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