Pretrial Delays in Alaska Leave Defendants and Victims Waiting

Pretrial delays

Alaska Courts Face Long Delays

Alaska’s court system is struggling. Pretrial delays are getting worse. Defendants, victims, and families are stuck waiting. Cases drag on for years. Many sit in jail, even though they have not been convicted.

A Man Begs for Trial

In January, Phillip Drummer called into court from jail. He begged to go to trial. Drummer was charged with domestic violence assault in December 2023. He had been waiting for over a year.

The prosecutor was ready to go to trial. But his defense attorney was not. The court told Drummer he could represent himself. He refused. More Delays

“This Is Not Fair” – Pretrial Delays

Drummer told the judge, “This is totally not fair to me.” He didn’t understand why he had to wait. He didn’t want to spend more time in jail. But the judge delayed the trial again.

The Court System is Backed Up

Drummer’s case is not unique. Hundreds of people are waiting for trials. Some have been in jail for years. Many are presumed innocent but still locked up.

Alaska’s Felony Cases Take Years

The Anchorage Daily News reported that felony cases take three times longer than they did ten years ago. The average used to be one year. Now, it’s closer to three years.

The Cost of Delays

Half of Alaska’s prisoners are waiting for trial. That’s about 2,000 people. Housing them costs the state $400,000 per day. The money adds up fast.

The Constitution Promises a Speedy Trial

The Sixth Amendment guarantees a speedy trial. But Alaska courts struggle to meet that promise. Judges postpone trials all the time. Defense attorneys are overloaded. The system moves slowly.

Why Are Trials Delayed?

Several things cause delays. The pandemic backed up the system. There aren’t enough defense lawyers. Some cases get delayed on purpose. Lawyers stall to weaken evidence. Victims get tired of waiting. Witnesses forget details or move away.

Victims and Families Suffer

Long delays hurt victims. They relive trauma every time there’s a new hearing. Some lose hope. Some stop cooperating.

One prosecutor said, “Every time we delay, it brings trauma back to the victim.” Some drop out of cases completely. That makes convictions harder.

Lawyers Have Too Many Cases

Drummer’s attorney Rex Butler overwhelmed. He has more than 300 cases. Butler takes on cases that state public defenders cannot handle.

He said, “We pick up the case, and now the file is on fire.” His cases are delayed for years. The court wants them resolved fast. But lawyers can’t handle the workload.

Felony Cases Take More Work

Felony trials are more complex now. There is more evidence to process. DNA, phone records, and security footage take time to analyze.

Lawyers need months to prepare. But courts want quick trials. That causes more delays.

Public Defenders Overwhelmed – Pretrial Delays

Alaska’s Public Defender Agency too much work. There aren’t enough lawyers to take cases. When that happens, private attorneys step in. But they have full workloads too.

Delays Hurt the Justice System

Long waits make it harder to convict criminals. Witnesses forget details. Evidence gets weaker over time. Defendants sit in jail, even if they’re innocent.

A prosecutor said, “The longer we wait, the harder it is to prove guilt.” That means more guilty people go free. And more innocent people wait in jail.

The Court System Is Trying to Fix It

Alaska’s Chief Justice Susan Carney knows the system is struggling. She said the delays are extreme. Judges are limiting continuances. They want trials to move faster.

But change is slow. Cases still pile up. Families still wait.