Source: http://openjurist.org/604/f2d/908
Timestamp: 2016-07-24 01:03:12
Document Index: 432329514

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 911', '§ 1225', '§ 1101', '§ 1225', '§ 1225', '§ 1357', '§ 1357']

604 F2d 908 United States v. Henry | OpenJurist
604 F. 2d 908 - United States v. Henry HomeFederal Reporter, Second Series 604 F.2d.
604 F2d 908 United States v. Henry 604 F.2d 908
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee,v.Leroy HENRY, Defendant-Appellant.
A. Scott Miller, Linda C. Hertz, Asst. U. S. Attys., Miami, Fla., for plaintiff-appellee.
Before GODBOLD, Circuit Judge, SKELTON, Senior Judge,* and RUBIN, Circuit Judge.
Appellant, Leroy Henry, a citizen of Jamaica, was indicted, tried by a jury, and convicted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida for falsely and wilfully representing himself to be a citizen of the United States in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 911.1 He was sentenced to imprisonment for a period of sixty days. The Appellant has appealed his conviction and sentence to this court. We affirm.
Inspector Hankins transferred the Appellant to a second immigration officer, Kathy Sheehan, who was assigned to the secondary inspection area, where people not readily admissible during primary inspection are sent for a more detailed inspection so as not to interfere with the flow of traffic through the primary inspection lines. After reviewing documents left for her inspection, i. e. the customs declaration, birth certificate, and a one-way airline ticket from Jamaica, Ms. Sheehan spoke with the Appellant and requested that he state his true name and place of birth. He stated that he was Samuel Lymas and that he was born in the United States of America. After a search of his baggage by a customs inspector, the Appellant was again asked his name by inspector Sheehan and he stated that his name was Williston Smith and that he was born in Jamaica. Ms. Sheehan then began the paperwork on a report preparatory to sending the Appellant downtown to the district office, and again asked him his correct name. This time he stated that he was Leroy Henry and that he was born in Jamaica in 1947. He was not questioned further by Ms. Sheehan. After the Appellant had completed this interview with Ms. Sheehan, he was escorted from her office by representatives of Air Jamaica, who were responsible for taking him to the office of Mr. Reissig of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. During her questioning, Ms. Sheehan did not give the Appellant a "Miranda warning." She later testified that at the time of her questioning the Appellant was not free to go.
The Government argues that an alien, such as the Appellant, "standing at the border" and seeking entry into the country, does not enjoy the same rights in criminal proceedings that are accorded to aliens who are already in the country, legally or illegally, and, therefore, the Appellant did not have a right to a Miranda warning prior to or during his interview with the first inspector. This contention is based on the Federal Government's right to exclude aliens and otherwise control and regulate their entrance into the country.2
The cases relied on by the Government in support of its position involved deportation, exclusion or social benefit proceedings of aliens and were not criminal cases.3
The courts have held that those kinds of cases are not criminal in nature.4 Consequently, they would not control the disposition of the case before us.
" . . . (A)ccording to the accepted maxims of international law, every sovereign nation has the power, inherent in sovereignty and essential to self preservation, to forbid the entrance of foreigners within its dominions, or to admit them only in such cases and upon such condition as it may see fit to prescribe . . . ""The power of congress to exclude aliens altogether from the United States, or to prescribe the terms and conditions upon which they may come to this country, and to have its declared policy in that regard enforced exclusively through the executive officers, without judicial intervention, is settled by our previous adjudications. 158 U.S. at 547, 15 S.Ct. at 970, 39 L.Ed. at 1085."
"It is important to note at the outset that our immigration laws have long made a distinction between those aliens who have come to our shores seeking admission, such as petitioner, and those who are within the United States after an entry, irrespective of its legality. In the latter instance the Court has recognized additional rights and privileges not extended to those in the former category who are merely 'on the threshold of initial entry.' Shaughnessy v. United States, 345 U.S. 206, 212, 73 S.Ct. 625, 97 L.Ed. 956, 963 (1953). See Kwong Hai Chew v. Colding, 344 U.S. 590, 596, 73 S.Ct. 472, 97 L.Ed. 576, 583 (1953)." 357 U.S. at 187, 78 S.Ct. at 1073, 2 L.Ed.2d at 1248.
In the early Supreme Court case of Wong Wing v. United States, 163 U.S. 228, 16 S.Ct. 977, 41 L.Ed. 140 (1896), the question of an alien's rights in a criminal proceeding was considered. In that case, a Chinese alien was found to be unlawfully within the United States and was sentenced to be imprisoned for 60 days at hard labor in a summary hearing without the benefit of a judicial trial. After the expiration of the sentence, the alien was to be deported.5
" . . . No person shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself."
"The (14th) Amendment to the Constitution is not confined to the protection of citizens. It says: 'Nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.' These provisions are universal in their application, to all persons within the territorial jurisdiction, without regard to any difference of race, of color, or nationality; and the equal protection of the laws is a pledge of the protection of equal laws." 118 U.S. at 369, 6 S.Ct. at 1070, 30 L.Ed. at 226.
In formulating this principle of law, the court placed special emphasis on the "compulsion inherent in custodial surroundings", and, as a result, based the Miranda rule on this "compulsion" theory by saying:"We have concluded that without proper safeguards the process of in-custody interrogation of persons suspected or accused of crime contains Inherently compelling pressures which work to undermine the individual's will to resist and to compel him to speak where he would not otherwise do so freely. In order to combat these pressures and to permit a full opportunity to exercise the privilege against self-incrimination, the accused must be adequately and effectively apprised of his rights and the exercise of those rights must be fully honored." 384 U.S. at 467, 86 S.Ct. at 1624. (Emphasis supplied).
"We hold that the warning required in Miranda need not be given to one who is entering the United States unless and until the questioning agents have probable cause to believe that the person questioned has committed an offense or the person questioned has been arrested, whether with or without probable cause. It is at that point, in border cases, that the investigation has 'focused' in the Miranda sense."
The primary question remaining with respect to Ms. Hankins' questioning is whether or not the Appellant was "in custody" for Miranda purposes during the first interview. In determining the "custody" issue, this court has adopted the judicial approach of deciding the issue on a case-by-case basis. United States v. Warren, supra; United States v. Carollo, 507 F.2d 50 (5 Cir. 1975), Cert. denied, 423 U.S. 874, 96 S.Ct. 143, 46 L.Ed.2d 105 (1975); Alberti v. Estelle, 524 F.2d 1265 (5 Cir. 1975), Cert. denied,426 U.S. 954, 96 S.Ct. 3181, 49 L.Ed.2d 1193 (1976); Brown v. Beto, 468 F.2d 1284 (5 Cir. 1972); United States v. Montos, 421 F.2d 215 (5 Cir. 1970), Cert. denied, 397 U.S. 1022, 90 S.Ct. 1262, 25 L.Ed.2d 532 (1970). This court utilizes the following test in determining whether an interrogation occurred in a custodial situation: (1) probable cause to arrest; (2) subjective intent of the law-enforcement officer; (3) subjective belief of the defendant; and (4) the focus of the investigation. United States v. Warren,supra; United States v. Carollo, supra; Alberti v. Estelle, supra; Brown v. Beto, supra; United States v. Montos, supra.
In the case of United States v. Smith, 557 F.2d 1206 (5 Cir. 1977), Cert. denied, 434 U.S. 1073, 98 S.Ct. 1259, 55 L.Ed.2d 777 (1978), the facts were similar to the facts in this case. In that case, the Appellant Smith arrived at Miami International Airport from Bogota, Colombia. Upon entering the customs line and in response to questions asked by a customs agent, he stated that he had been on a four-day vacation and that he was an unemployed truck driver with a wife and child. The customs agent noticed that Smith became very nervous and very pale during the questioning and that he fit a "smuggling profile," (i. e., arrival from Colombia, one suitcase, no items to declare for customs, travelling alone, and claiming to have been on a vacation.) The court held that although the customs agent had sufficient facts before him to make him suspicious, he did not have sufficient facts to establish "probable cause" for an arrest which would have required him to give Smith the Miranda warning at that point. Even though Smith looked like a smuggler (i. e., fit smuggler's profile and was nervous), there was no probable cause to arrest or to require the giving of a Miranda warning unless and until smuggled goods were discovered. Comparing the facts in that case with those in the case before us, we find that Appellant appeared unlike a United States citizen to the first inspector (i. e., foreign accent, no knowledge of Mississippi geography and the marked-out letters on the declaration form), but there was no probable cause to arrest him during that interrogation. The old saying that "you cannot judge a book by its cover" would certainly apply here. See also, United States v. Forbicetta, 484 F.2d 645 (5 Cir. 1973), Cert. denied, 416 U.S. 993, 94 S.Ct. 2404, 40 L.Ed.2d 772 (1974).
The second principle is whether the subjective intent of the interrogating officer was to hold the Appellant in custody. The questioning of the Appellant by the primary inspector Ms. Hankins was done in accordance with the applicable immigration laws and regulations. 8 U.S.C.A. §§ 1225 and 1357; 8 C.F.R. 235.1, Et seq.6
The fourth and final requirement is whether the investigation had focused on the Appellant at the time of the first interview. Since this case involves a border situation, those special rules concerning border questioning are considered at this point. As a general rule, routine questioning and searches at the border do not place a person "in custody" within the meaning of Miranda. United States v. McCain, supra ; United States v. Garcia, 496 F.2d 670 (5 Cir. 1974), Cert. denied, 420 U.S. 960, 95 S.Ct. 1347, 43 L.Ed.2d 436 (1975); United States v. Salinas, supra. Judge Bell in Salinas stated the general rule as follows:
"Thousands of persons enter the country daily and are subject to some degree of detention while their luggage is searched and they are asked routine questions concerning citizenship, destination, whether they have items to declare, questions regarding contraband, and the like. To hold that questioning of these types or routine border searches of luggage place a person "in custody" within the meaning of Miranda would unduly distort that case. Chavez-Martinez v. United States, 9 Cir., 1969, 407 F.2d 535; and see also United States v. Kurfess, 7 Cir. 1970, 426 F.2d 1017. However, when the border search or detention becomes more than routine, such as when a person is discovered to be concealing suspicious materials, or when a person is taken to a private room and strip searched as here, a different outcome obtains. United States v. De La Cruz, 7 Cir., 1970, 420 F.2d 1093; United States v. Berard, D.C.Mass., 1968, 281 F.Supp. 328." 439 F.2d at 379, 380.
"It is obvious that the governmental activity revealed here was more than 'routine.' . . . Under the Salinas standard, she (the defendant) was subjected to a custodial interrogation. . . . " 496 F.2d at 672, 673.
The referral of a person entering this country to a secondary inspector is part of the "routine" border interrogation and does not, in and of itself, focus on the person so as to require a Miranda warning. See United States v. Martinez, supra ; United States v. Garcia, supra ; Chavez-Martinez v. United States, supra ; United States v. Smith, supra. Accordingly, under the fact situation here, the investigation had not "focused" on the Appellant so as to require a Miranda warning when he was first referred to the second inspector. The purpose of Ms. Sheehan's investigation in the beginning was to obtain sufficient facts to determine if he was eligible to enter the United States. Therefore, at first, her questioning was merely "routine" and did not focus on Appellant until he admitted that he was born in Jamaica. When he made this admission, the nature of the interrogation changed from routine questioning to a custodial investigation that required the second inspector to give Appellant the Miranda warning before asking him any more questions. She did not give him such a warning, but proceeded to ask him additional questions. She asked him his correct name three different times. The first time he answered that his name was Samuel Earl Lymas. The second time he said his name was Williston Smith, and the third time he admitted that his correct name was Leroy Henry. After getting this information, Ms. Sheehan pressed him for an admission as to his true citizenship, and he finally said he was a citizen of Jamaica. Ms. Sheehan then prepared a written report of her interview with Appellant and sent it downtown to Investigator Reissig. She ordered a guard of Air Jamaica to take the Appellant to Investigator Reissig's office for further questioning.
"Assuming, ad arguendo, that the defendant was properly advised of his rights by Investigator Reissig, such belated warnings came too late for an intelligent waiver of constitutional rights. See Miranda v. Arizona, supra, (384 U.S. at 496, 86 S.Ct. 1602). It is a well established rule that subsequent in-custody statements will be inadmissible if a causal connection is found between prior unconstitutional conduct and the subsequent statement. The subsequent confession is said to be tainted by the prior misconduct. Harney v. United States, 407 F.2d 586 (5 Cir. 1969); Gilpin v. United States, 415 F.2d 638 (5 Cir. 1969); Albert(i) v. Estelle, 524 F.2d 1265 (5 Cir. 1975), Cert. denied, 426 U.S. 954, (96 S.Ct. 3181, 49 L.Ed.2d 1193); Randall v. Estell(e), 492 F.2d 118 (5 Cir. 1974); Smith v. Estelle, 527 F.2d 430 (5 Cir. 1976)."
'Of course, after an accused has once let the cat out of the bag by confessing, no matter what the inducement, he is never thereafter free of the psychological and practical disadvantages of having confessed. He can never get the cat back in the bag.'
This Court in Harney v. United States, 5 Cir., 1969, 407 F.2d 586, adhered to the Supreme Court's direction as set down in Westover. Harney had also made in-custody statements and confessions on several occasions. Because he had not been given adequate Miranda warnings, the trial court suppressed earlier statements, including the first written confession. However, the trial court, admitted Harney's later confession after a proper Miranda warning had been related to him. This Court, in reversing the trial court, held that when the 'appellant reiterated to the FBI agent what he already had told twice, and one of those times in writing, the effects of the earlier invalid interrogations and statements had not been sufficiently dissipated, and the FBI agent was the direct beneficiary of the illegal conduct of the local police.' 407 F.2d at 590.
The second postal inspector 'entered the fray armed with defendant's earlier admissions.' Pierce v. United States, (United States v. Pierce ) 4 Cir. 1968, 397 F.2d 128, 131. It came at what to Gilpin could seem only the end not the beginning of the interrogation process.
Here, as in Harney, Gilpin knew that 'the cat was out of the bag.' One confession led to another. The effect of the tainted confession was not dissipated by the time of the next confession. A belated adequate warning could not put the cat back in the bag."
Even if Appellant's admissions to Inspector Sheehan and his confession to Investigator Reissig had been suppressed, there remained overwhelming evidence as to his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This evidence consisted generally of the following facts. The Appellant has appeared in this court as Leroy Henry. By doing so he admits and represents to the court that his true identity is Leroy Henry and not Samuel Earl Lymas. It is uncontroverted that he appeared before inspector Hankins and presented a customs declaration which stated that he was Samuel Earl Lymas. This has been shown to be false, as he is not Lymas. Also, the declaration and birth certificate of Lymas he presented showed that he was born in Mississippi. These were false representations, since he was not Lymas. Furthermore, his birth certificate that the Government obtained from Jamaica showed that he was born in that country. Appellant complains that his birth certificate was "tainted" by his illegal admissions to officers Sheehan and Reissig. This argument is unpersuasive. No casual connection has been shown between such admissions and the obtaining of the birth certificate. Appellant's plane ticket showed that he came from Jamaica on Air Jamaica. He spoke to the first inspector with a Jamaican accent. Jamaica is a small country and apparently maintains a central office for births occurring in the whole country, as his birth certificate shows that it was obtained from the office of Registrar General of Jamaica. Under these circumstances, it was logical that the Government would seek his birth certificate in Jamaica entirely independent of Appellant's admissions to the officers.
Carroll v. United States, 267 U.S. 132, 45 S.Ct. 280, 69 L.Ed. 543 (1925); Almeida-Sanchez v. United States, 413 U.S. 266, 93 S.Ct. 2535, 37 L.Ed.2d 596 (1973); 8 U.S.C.A. § 1101, et seq
Zakonaite v. Wolf, 226 U.S. 272, 33 S.Ct. 31, 57 L.Ed. 218 (1912); Harisiades v. Shaughnessy, 342 U.S. 580, 72 S.Ct. 512, 96 L.Ed. 586 (1952); Abel v. United States, 362 U.S. 217, 80 S.Ct. 683, 4 L.Ed.2d 668 (1960); Woodby v. Immigration & Naturalization Service, 385 U.S. 276, 87 S.Ct. 483, 17 L.Ed.2d 362 (1966); Chavez-Raya v. Immigration & Naturalization Service, 519 F.2d 397 (7 Cir. 1975)
8 U.S.C.A. § 1225 provides in pertinent part as follows:
" § 1225. Inspection by Immigration Officers Powers of officers.
(a) The inspection, other than the physical and mental examination, of aliens (including alien crewmen) seeking admission or readmission to or the privilege of passing through the United States shall be conducted by immigration officers, except as otherwise provided in regard to special inquiry officers. All aliens arriving at ports of the United States shall be examined by one or more immigration officers at the discretion of the Attorney General and under such regulations as he may prescribe. Immigration officers are authorized and empowered to board and search any vessel, aircraft, railway car, or other conveyance, or vehicle in which they believe aliens are being brought into the United States. The Attorney General and any immigration officer, including special inquiry officers, shall have power to administer oaths and to take and consider evidence of or from any person touching the privilege of any alien or person he believes or suspects to be an alien to enter, reenter, pass through or reside in the United States or concerning any matter which is material and relevant to the enforcement of this chapter and the administration of the Service, and, where such action may be necessary, to make a written record of such evidence. Any person coming into the United States may be required to state under oath the purpose or purposes for which he comes, the length of time he intends to remain in the United States, whether or not he intends to remain in the United States, permanently and, if an alien, whether he intends to become a citizen thereof, and such other items of information as will aid the immigration officer in determining whether he is a national of the United States or an alien and, if the latter, whether he belongs to any of the excluded classes enumerated in section 1182 of this title. . . .
8 U.S.C.A. § 1357 provides, in pertinent part, as follows:
" § 1357. Powers of immigration officers and employees Powers without warrant.
(b) Detention after inspection. If in the opinion of the examining immigration officer it is not practical to resolve a question of admissibility at the time of arrival of a passenger on a vessel or aircraft, the officer shall execute Form I-259 to notify the agent for the vessel or aircraft and the master or commanding officer, if available, that the passenger is to be presented for further inspection. The Form I-259 shall list the name of each such passenger and shall contain instructions as to the date and place the passenger is to be presented for continued inspection or further proceedings under the Act. If the place specified is a designated port of entry to which the transportation company has carried or has contracted to carry the passenger, the transportation company shall remain under the obligation, described in the preceding paragraph, to prevent an unauthorized landing, unless the transportation company has been relieved of such obligation by removal under section 233(a) at the direction of the Service or unless the Service has paroled the alien under section 212(d)(5) of the Act without directing the carrier in writing to present the alien for further inspection. The term port of entry as used in this paragraph includes a Service district office or suboffice within the city or town or in local commuting distance of the seaport or airport at which the passenger arrived or of the onward seaport or airport specified by the examining immigration officer as the place for completion of inspection." (32 FR 9628, July 4, 1967, as amended at 34 FR 14727, Sept. 24, 1969).