Military Response Time To Assassination

[J. Beckert]

From the Legal Dictionary -

"Unlike the balancing test created by the Supreme Court to evaluate a claim under the Speedy Trial Clause, the Speedy Trial Act establishes specific time limits between various stages of federal criminal proceedings. The act requires federal authorities to file an information or indictment within 30 days of a defendant's arrest. A prosecutor who knows that an accused is incarcerated at the time of indictment must take immediate steps to initiate prosecution. If a defendant enters a plea of not guilty, trial must commence within 70 days from the filing of the information or indictment or 70 days from the first appearance of the accused in court, whichever is later."

The last conspirator was arrested on April 24th, they were arraigned on May 10th., with testimony beginning on the 12th. Even by today's standards, this is not unreasonable and appears to have been as expeditious as possible. All parties need a reasonable amount of time to prepare a case and a defense. Six weeks, for the enormity of the charges, doesn't seem unreasonable. (Reasonable is a very elastic word and appears frequently in our legalese)