Hide Article Text (OCR)
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (AP) William T. “Rabbit Martin, who is currently serving a life sentence at the state penitentiary, has filed a federal court suit here seeking $5 mil lion in damages each from a Mercer County Circuit Court judge and the county prose cuting attorney The action, filed in US. Dis trict Court, maintains that ‘Judge Howard M. Jarrett and Prosecuting Atty. David Knight conspired to deprive Martin of ‘his right to a speedy trial on an armed robbery charge last year. The petition also asks that criminal proceedings te in itiated against Knight and Jar rett, who was a Mercer County Intermediate Court judge at the time in question. The suit stems from Martin's rearrest last year after he had scaped from the Mercer Coun ty Jail, where he had been serving a sentence on con viction of the robbery of some $300,000 from the late C.A. Cly borne in Bluefield. Ile was subsequently accused’ ‘of stealing a pistol from a priso n on guard and later indicted on’ ‘and armed robbery charge. However, Martin contends he was not indicted for 14 months after the charge was lodged and was therefore forced to concede his sixth amendment right to a speedy trial. It is the second suit filed by Martin against Judge Jarrett. The previous action, brought in connection with the Clyborne robbery, accused Jarrett of vio lating Martin's civil rights. U.S. District Judge Robert E .Maxwell invoked the judicial ‘immunity clause in dismissing the case. Martin, who was resentenced, ‘to fire imprisonment Dec. 18 ‘under the Hehbitual Criminal statute, said he has asked U.S. District Judge Sidney L. Christ ie to appoint counsel for him.
Newspaper Details
Charleston Daily Mail
Charleston, West Virginia, US
Sat, Dec 23, 1972
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Lorraine C.
USA 15 Jul 2026
Other Publications Near Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston Mail
Charleston Gazette Mail
Charleston Gazette
Gazette Mail
Charleston Daily Mail
