LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Supreme Court has dismissed a capital murder charge against a man who had a nearly 14-year-old arrest warrant in a West Memphis slaying.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that authorities issued the warrant for Robert Canada’s arrest in August 2000 in the death of Derrick Price. Authorities were unable to serve the warrant while Canada was in a Tennessee jail, but were able to do so when Canada was arrested in Crittenden County on a burglary charge in June 2014.


Canada’s lawyer argued the delay was a violation of his client’s constitutional right to due process. A county judge dismissed the case last year, saying the delayed warrant violated Canada’s right to a fair trial. Prosecutors appealed, but the state Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s ruling on Thursday.

Canada is in Missouri serving an unrelated five-year sentence for theft.