Q: Can my friend still be charged with a felony without indictment after 8 months?
My friend was arrested and charged with burglary after his girlfriend, who was incarcerated, gave him the keys to her safe to retrieve money meant for hiring her a lawyer. She instructed him to avoid the cameras because of her dad, so he entered through a window. Her dad, who is pressing charges, has reported three different amounts of missing money, although the money belongs to his girlfriend. It's been 8 months since the arrest, and my friend is still incarcerated without a grand jury indictment. He's been to court, and the charges changed from first-degree to second-degree burglary. An initial gun charge was dropped after the dad located the missing gun. His bond is set at $100k, with no progress made, and his public defender hasn’t filed any motions or appeals regarding the indictment delay. Additionally, his car and wallet are still held without reason. Can he still be charged with a criminal felony under these circumstances?
A: Yes. He can. There is no statute of limitations on a felony.
John Amos Whatley agrees with this answer
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