FI FTH DI VI SI ON

PHI PPS, P. J.

, DI LLA RD and PETERSON, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

A u gust 8, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A0 84 9 . IN THE INTEREST OF: K. H., A CHILD.

P H I P P S , Pres i d i n g J u dg e.

Th e St at e fi l ed a d el i n q u en cy p et i t i o n ag ai n st 1 5 -y ear-o l d K. H., ch arg i n g h er

wi t h p o s s es s i o n o f l e s s t h a n on e ou n ce o f m ari ju an a 1 an d g i v i n g fal s e s t at em en t s

. 2

Th e ju v en i l e co u rt th ereaft er d en i ed K. H.’ s m o t i o n t o su p p res s i n cri m i n at i n g

s t at em en t s s h e had m ad e t o p o l i ce

. We g r an t ed K. H.’ s p et i t i o n fo r i n t erl o cu t o ry

rev i ew to co n s i d er wh et h e r t h e co u rt erred i n d en y i n g h er m o t io n

. Becau s e t h e

j u v e n i l e co u rt d i d no t p ro p erl y d et erm in e wh et h er K. H.’ s s t at em en t s w ere m ad e

v o l u n t ari l y , we rem an d t he cas e fo r fu rt h er p ro ceed i n g s co n s i s t en t wi t h t h i s o p i n i o n.

1 See OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 0 (j).

2 See OCGA § 1 6 -1 0 -2 0

.As an i ni t i al m at t er, we n o t e t h at t h e ju v en il e co u rt fa i l ed to t ran s m i t a

t ran s cri p t o f t h e h eari n g o n th e m o t i o n to s u p p res s , al t h ou g h, i n h er n ot i ce of ap p eal

,

K. H

. req u es ted t hat n o t h i n g b e o m i t t ed fro m t h e reco rd

. Th e co u rt rep ort er was

ap p aren tl y u nab l e t o tra nsc r ibe the he a r ing d u e t o an eq u i p m en t m al fu nct i o n. 3 In s t ead

,

t h e j u v en i l e co u rt

, wi t h t h e co n s en t o f th e p art i es , t ran s m i t t ed an au d i o r e c o rd in g

. 4

Th e s o u n d q ual it y o f t h e au d i o reco rd i n g, ho wev er, i s s o po o r as to b e un i n t el l i g i b l e,

an d we h av e n o t co n s i dered i t h ere.

“ On ap p eal fro m a ru li ng o n a m o t i o n to su p p res s , w e d efer t o t h e t ri al co urt ’ s

fact ual fi n d i n g s an d cred i b i l i t y d et erm i n at i o ns , b u t rev iew de n o v o t h e co urt ’ s

ap p li cat io n o f t h e l aw t o th e un d i s p u t ed fact s .” 5 An d

, t o t h e ex t en t t h at t h e co nt ro l l i n g

fact s are “ p l ai n l y

d i s cern ab l e” fro m

a reco rd i n g , we rev i ew t h o se fact s d e n o v o

. 6

3 See Co u rt o f Ap p eal s Ru l e 1 7 (i t i s t h e d u ty o f t h e cl erk o f th e tri al co u rt to

t ran s m i t t o t h i s Co u rt t h e o ri g i n al t ran s cri p t an d co p ies o f al l reco rd s ).

4 See OCGA § 5 -6 -4 1 ( g ) a n d (i ) (au t h o ri zi n g th e p art ies t o fi l e a s ub s t i t u t e

t ran s cri p t o r a “ st i pu lat i o n o f t h e cas e s h o wi n g h o w t h e q u es ti o n s aro s e an d were d eci d ed in t h e t ri al co u rt ” i n l i eu o f a t ran s cri p t ).

5 S t a t e v. Dep o l , 3 3 6 Ga. Ap p . 1 9 1 (7 8 4 SE2 d 5 1 ) (2 0 1 6).

6 See i d

. See al s o Ma ck v. S ta t e , 2 9 6 Ga. 2 3 9, 2 41 (1 ) (7 6 5 SE2 d 8 9 6 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (d e n o v o rev i ew of v i d eo tap ed i n t erv i ew t o d et erm i n e i f th e de f e n d a n t w a i v ed h i s Fi ft h Am en d m en t ri g ht s an d

, th u s , wh et h er t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y i n g h i s m o t i o n

t o s u p p res s ).

2Th e l i m i t ed reco rd b efo re u s, wh i ch i ncl u d es t h e v i d eo reco rd i n g o f t h e

en co un t er bet ween K. H

. an d t h e p o l i ce, s h ows t he fo l l o w i ng

. On t h e earl y m o rn i n g

o f J u n e 7

, 2 0 1 5

, a N ewn an p o l i ce offi cer s aw a car p ark ed i n a co m m erci al area. Th e

o ffi cer ap p ro ach ed t h e p ark ed car an d k n o ck ed o n t h e wi n d o w , an d t h e 19 -y ear-o ld

d ri v er o p en ed t h e d o or. K

. H. was i n t h e p as sen g er s eat

. Th e offi cer s m el l ed a s t ro n g

o d o r o f m ari

ju an a, an d t h e d ri v er h an d ed t h e o ffi cer an o b ject t h at ap p eared t o b e a

m ari ju an a ci g aret t e.

Th e d ri v er i d en t i fi ed h i m s el f, a n d t h e o ffi cer ex t ract ed t h e d ri v er fro m t h e

v eh icl e. Th e d ri v er ad m i t t ed t h at t h ey h ad b een s m o k i n g m ari ju an a an d co n s en t ed to

a s earch o f t h e v eh i cl e. A s eco n d o ffi cer t hen p at t ed d o wn t he d ri v er.

K. H. ex i t ed t h e veh i cl e. An o ffi cer as ked h er fo r i d en t ifi cat i o n , an d s h e rep l i ed

t h at s h e h ad n o n e. In res p o n s e t o p o l i ce q u es t i o n i n g , K. H. g av e h er fu l l n am e an d a

d at e of b i rt h t h at wo u l d h av e m ad e h er 1 8 y ears o l d

. Th e o ffi cer t h en s earch ed t h e car,

wh i le K. H. an d t h e d ri v er s t o o d wi t h t wo o t h er o ffi cers

.

Aft er th e search

, t h e o ffi cer wh o h ad i ni t i at ed t h e en co u n ter as k ed K. H. an d

t h e dri ver wh i ch o n e o f t h e m wan t ed t o “ o wn u p t o t h e m ari ju an a.” Th e d ri v er

m o ti o n ed t o ward K

. H

., an d K. H. p o i n ted t o h ers el f an d s ai d t h at s h e h ad p u rch as ed

t h e m ari ju an a. Th e dri v er was h an d cu f f e d

, t o l d t h at h e w o u l d b e ch arg ed wi th

3m i s d em ean o r p o s s es s i o n o f m ari j u a n a , a n d p l aced i n a p at ro l car. K. H

. was al s o

p l aced in a p at ro l car. A ft er ru n n i n g K. H .’ s n am e t h ro u g h t h e s ys t e m , t h e o ffi cers

real ized th at s h e was , i n fact , o n l y 1 5 y ears o ld

.

K. H. fi led a m o ti o n t o s u p p r e s s h er s t at em en t s cl ai m i ng o wn ers h i p o f t h e

m ari ju an a, arg u i n g t

ha t th e s t at em en ts were n ot vo l u n t ary becau s e s h e w as u n l awfu l l y

q u es ti o n ed wi t ho u t fi rs t b ei n g g i v en Mi randa w a r n ings an d

, t h u s , h er s t at em en t s were

o b t ai n ed i n v io l a t i o n o f h er Fi ft h Am en d m en t ri g h t ag ai ns t s el f-i n cri m i n at io n

. 7

Fo l l o wi ng a Ja cks o n -Den n o h eari n g , 8 t h e ju ven i l e co u rt d en i ed t h e m o ti o n

.

On ap p eal

, K. H. co n t en d s t h at t h e ju v en il e co u rt fai l ed t o p ro p erl y co n s i d er h er

m o ti o n t o s u p pres s an d sh o u ld h av e ex cl u d ed h er st at em en t s t o p o l i ce becau s e s h e

was i n cu s t o d y an d h ad n o t y et b een ad vi s ed o f h er Mi r a n d a ri g h t s , an d t he o ffi cer’ s

q u es ti o n was i n ten d ed t o i n v o k e an i n cri m i n at i n g res p o ns e. 9

7 See Mi r an d

a v. Ar i z o n a , 3 8 4 U. S. 4 3 6 (8 6 SCt 1 6 0 2, 1 6 LE2 d 6 9 4 ) (1 9 6 6 ).

8 Ja cks o n v. Den n o , 3 7 8 U. S. 3 6 8 (8 4 SCt 1 7 74 , 1 2 LE2 d 9 0 8 ) (1 9 6 4 ).

9 See g en eral l y Ri ley v. S ta t e , 2 3 7 Ga. 1 2 4

, 1 2 8 (2 2 6 SE2 d 9 2 2 ) (1 9 7 6 ) (s et t i n g fo rt h n i n e fact o rs t hat t ri al co u rt s m us t co n s i d er i n d eci di n g wh et h er to ex cl u d e a ju v en i l e’ s co nfes s i o n b ecau s e i t was n o t m ad e v ol u n t ari l y ).

4“ Th e s t at e b ears t h e b u rd en o f d em o n st rat i n g t h e v o l u nt ari n es s o f a cu s t o d i al

s t at em en t b y

a p rep o n d eran ce o f t h e ev i d en ce.” 1 0

Mi r a n d a warn i n g s m

u s t be ad m i n i s t ered t o an accu s e d wh en th e accu s ed

i s i n cu s to d y an d su b

ject ed t o i n t erro g at i o n o r i t s fu n ct i o n al eq u i v al en t

, i .e., an y wo rd s o r act i o n s o n t he p art o f t h e p o l i ce (o t h er t h an t h o s e

n o rm al l y at t en d an t t o arres t an d cu s to d y ) t h at th e p o l i ce s h o u l d kn o w are

reas o n ab l y li k el y t o el ici t an i n cri m i n at i n g res p o ns e fro m t h e s u s pect

. 1 1

W h et h er a p ers o n i s “ in cu s t o d y ” fo r Mi r an d a p u rp o ses d ep en d s “ up o n th e o b ject i v e

ci rcu m s t an ces at t en d i ng t h e p art i cu l ar i n t erro g at i o n at i s s u e, an d n o t up o n t h e

s u b ject i ve v i ews o f ei t h er t h e pers on be ing in t erro g at ed o r t h e i n t erro g at in g o ffi cer.” 1 2

“ [A] l t h o ug h o ffi cers m ay m ak e i ni t ial o n -t h e-s cen e i n q u i ri es wi t h o ut Mi r a n d a

warn i n gs t o as cert ai n t h e n at u re o f t h e s i t u at i o n at h an d

, t h e q u es t i o n i n g m us t n o t b e

ai m ed at o b t ai ni n g i n fo rm at i on t o es t ab l i s h a s u s p ect ’ s g u i l t .” 1 3

1 0 Ama d o r v. St a t e , 3 1 0 Ga. Ap p

. 2 8 0

, 2 82 (2 ) (7 1 3 SE2 d 4 2 3) (2 0 1 1 ) (fo o t n o t e

o m it t ed ).

1 1 Da i l ey v. S t a t e , 3 1 3 Ga. Ap p . 8 0 9 , 8 1 5 -8 1 6 (1 ) (7 2 3 SE2 d 4 3 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

1 2 Th o m p so n v. S t a te

, 31 3 Ga. A p p

. 8 44

, 8 4 6 -8 4 7 (1 ) (7 23 SE2 d 8 5 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed ).

1 3 Id

. at 8 4 8 (1 ) (p u n ct u at i o n an d fo ot n o t e o m i t t ed ; em p h as i s i n o ri g i n al ) (h o l d i n g t h at “ aft er p ro du ci n g d ru g p arap h ern al i a, ad m i tt i ng t o o wn i n g s am e, an d

ad m i t t i ng t o recen t l y b u y i n g an d us i ng d ru g s , a reas o nab l e p ers o n wo ul d cert ai n l y

p ercei v e h i m sel f t o b e i n p o l i ce cu s t o d y ”).

5W e ag ree wi th K. H

. t h at t h e ju v en i l e c o u r t fai led t o p ro p erl y co n s i d er h er

m o ti o n t o su p p res s . Ho wev er, we are u n ab l e t o rev i ew K. H.’ s s u b s t an ti v e cl ai m o f

erro r at t h i s t im e b ecau se “ th ere i s i n t h i s cas e n o act u al ru l i n g o r fi n d in g i n t h e reco rd

s h o wi n g t h at t he t ri al j u d g e d e t e rm i n ed t h e vo l u n t ari n es s o f t h e co n fes si on .” 1 4 Th e

ju v en i l e co u rt ’ s o rd er m ad e n o fi n d i n g s reg ard i n g t h e v o l u n t a ri n es s o f K. H.’ s

s t at em en t s o r wh et h er sh e was i n cu s t o d y

. Rat h er, th e ju ven i l e co urt ad d res s ed o n l y

wh et h er po l i ce h ad pro b ab l e cau s e t o ap p ro ach t h e v eh i cl e an d req u es t p erm i s s i o n to

s earch

.

Becau s e t h e ju v en i l e co u rt d i d n ot ru l e on t he v o l u nt ari n e s s o f K

. H.’ s

s t at em en t s , t h e cas e m

u s t b e rem an d ed

. 1 5 U p o n rem an d

, th e ju v en il e co u rt i s d i rect ed

1 4 Hi cks v. S t a te

, 25 5 G a. 5 0 3

, 5 04 (1 ) (3 4 0 SE2 d 6 0 4 ) (1 98 6 ) (h o l di n g t h at
wh ere t he t ri al co u rt i m

p l i ci t l y d en i ed t h e d efen d an t ’ s m o ti o n t o s u p p res s , b u t n ei t h er

ex p res s l y d en i ed t h e m o t i o n n o r ex p l ai n ed it s ru l i n g, cl ai m o f erro r co u ld n o t b e

rev i ewed ).

1 5 S e e i d

. See al s o Li vi n gs t o n v. S t a t e , 26 7 Ga. Ap p

. 8 7 5

, 8 7 6 (2 ) (6 00 S E2 d

8 1 7 ) (2 0 0 4 ) (wh er e th ere was ev i d en ce wh i ch co ul d au t h o ri ze t h e ex cl u s i o n o f t h e d efen d an t ’ s st at em en t s, an d th e t ri al co u rt fai l ed t o m a k e s p eci fi c fi n d i n g s , rem an d

was n eces s ary fo r th e t ri al co u rt t o en ter fi n d in g s on wh et h er th e d efen d an t

u n d ers t o o d an d k no w i n g l y wai v ed h is Mi r a n d a ri gh t s ). Co m

p are Nel s o n v. S t a t e , 2 0 8

G a

. A p p

. 6 8 6

, 6 8 7 (1 ) (4 3 1 SE2 d 4 6 4) (1 9 93 ) (“ wh ere t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce wh i c h

wo u l d au t h o ri ze t h e t ri al co u rt t o fi n d t h at ap p el l an t ’ s s t at em en t was n o t v o l u n t ari l y

g i v en t h ere i s n o reas on to rem an d fo r fi n d i n g s o f f a c t a s t o t h e v ol u n t ari n es s o f

ap p el l an t ’ s s t at em en t ”) (ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed ; em p has i s i n o ri g i n al ).

6t o en t er i t s fi n di n g s , aft er fu rt h er h eari n g i f n eces s ary , as t o wh et her K. H

. w a s i n

cu s t o d y an d wh et her h er s t at em en t s were m ad e v o l u n t ari l y

. 1 6

Ca s e r ema n d

ed wi t h d i r ect i o n . Di l l a r d a nd Pet er s o n , JJ., co n cu r

.

1 6 See Ber r

y v. S t a t e , 2 5 4 Ga. 1 0 1

, 10 4 (1 ) (3 2 6 SE2 d 7 48 ) (1 9 85 ). See al s o Rea ves v. S t a t e , 2 8 4 Ga. 1 8 1

, 1 8 2 (1 ) (6 6 4 SE2 d 2 1 1 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (rem an di ng t he cas e fo r

t h e t ri al co u rt t o m ak e fi n d i ng s o f fact n eces s ary t o d et erm i n e w h et h er th e d efen d an t

was i n cu s t o d y

p ri o r t o h i s fi rs t Mi r an d

a warn i n g ).

7