Appeals court hears speedy-trial challenge in 23-year-old Tennessee probation revocation

An appellate panel of the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals heard arguments over whether a 23-year delay before revoking William Goldsberry’s probation violated his Sixth Amendment speedy-trial rights.

Appellate public defender Mr. Lady, speaking for the appellant, told the court that Goldsberry began probation in June 1997, transferred supervision to California in 1999, missed an appointment in May 2001, and that a Tennessee probation-violation warrant issued on July 20, 2001. Lady said the warrant “was the last thing that happened in this case until February 2024 when he was brought in and his probation was revoked,” and argued the state never filed a detainer that would have alerted other jurisdictions. “The state is required to do something to attempt to pursue this probation violation,” Lady said. He asked the court to dismiss the case on speedy-trial grounds, citing Doggett v. United States and the Tennessee case Hutchings for the proposition that very long…