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BUTTE - A Butte man has spent 267 days in jail, waiting to go to trial on a 5th DUI charge, and last night his trial ended in a hung jury.

Don Griffin says it has taken way too long to go to trial in Butte-Silver Bow County.

Griffin was a Science Engineering Major at Montana Tech and missed graduating with his class because he says court hearings were continually dismissed. He recently published an article about jail suicides, cost over-runs and going to trial in a timely manner.

He has also written his attorney, the supreme court and Montana Tech Professors.
Griffin says the professors have contacted University of Montana legal experts about the alleged delay.

"The continuances have been going on for about 5 months, just one after another, after another and I don't see any reason of why I can't go in and go to trial. It's only been two days once the trial got going. It should've been done in 6 months I would think, at most," says Griffin.

Prosecutors may move for another trial.

Griffin is now back in custody at the Butte-Silver Bow Detention Center pending other charges.

He says he would've spent less time in custody if he would've plead guilty at the beginning of the court process.