In the “code” of the justice system, a Speedy Trial Violation in KY often occurs not through malice, but through a “Runtime Error” in procedural logic. This post documents the timeline of Case 18-CR-01114, where the constitutional right to a speedy trial was suspended in a 6-year loop of competency hearings.
The Evidence: The video above documents a critical anomaly—a moment where the judicial acknowledgement of competency directly contradicted the administrative “error code” keeping the defendant in indefinite detention.
“Right” to a fair trial? Think again.
Timeline of Systemic Failure (Case 18-CR-01114)
To understand a Speedy Trial Violation KY, we must look at the raw data. This is not an opinion; it is a chronometer of denied justice.
- December 19, 2018: Original speedy trial motion filed. Constitutional right asserted immediately post-indictment.
- 2019-2022: The Competency Loop. The defendant is held in a “holding pattern”—too competent to be hospitalized, yet deemed too incompetent to stand trial.
- July 14, 2022: The “Runtime Error” documented in the video above. Judicial acknowledgement of competency contradicts the administrative record.
- 2024: Resolution via Alford Plea. The system “reboots” by accepting a plea that maintains innocence to end the 2,000-day detention.
Legal Analysis: The “Trial Tax”
In Kentucky, the “Trial Tax” refers to the systemic pressure to accept a plea deal rather than wait years for a jury trial. For Willow Cherry, the cost of asserting innocence was 2,000 days of life. This Speedy Trial Violation serves as a case study for why forensic mitigation is essential in modern defense.
The competency hearing for Willow Bruce Cherry – LEX 18
5 years ago: The competency hearing for Willow Bruce Cherry, 45, was cancelled today and rescheduled. Police accuse him of killing his brother-in-law Peter Lian.
Can we do better? A speedy trial was requested, and the constitutional right was asserted on 12/19/2018, shortly after the allegation was raised. This is just a preamble for the story to unfold. This is the real story: facts of case 18-CR-01114. Yet we are still holding on to faith—requesting a day in court, and you’re invited to join us! Meanwhile, what our courts show us: We promise a jury trial because it’s fair. The problem is that this fallacy is not cheap for our pocketbooks. That’s why, in reality, only 1% of our citizens charged actually go to trial. Unless the press gets involved, there simply isn’t any profit in materially factual justice.
These reasons leave courts without an actual mandate for a trial. There is no specific time limit for a trial, so we hold until defendants sign. We want our politicians to simply ignore the Bill of Rights unless the press is involved.
Can we do better?
A speedy trial was requested, and the constitutional right was asserted on 12/19/2018, shortly after the allegation was raised. This is just a preamble for the story to unfold. This is the real story: facts of case 18-CR-01114. Yet we are still holding on to faith—requesting a day in court, and you’re invited to join us! Meanwhile, what our courts show us: We promise a jury trial because it’s fair. The problem is that this fallacy is not cheap for our pocketbooks. That’s why, in reality, only 1% of our citizens charged actually go to trial. Unless the press gets involved, there simply isn’t any profit in materially factual justice.
Kind of like this blog post: nobody has time, and so that’s all… For now.
Check out: Navigating Legal Challenges or Innocence and Systemic Reform herein… or these external references : American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) resources and Kentucky Legal Aid – Free Legal Assistance
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