Title: Ex parte Donderrious Williams. PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS (In re: Donderrious Williams v. State of Alabama)
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 1071410
State: Alabama
Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court
Date: August 21, 2009

REL:08/21/2009 
Notice: T h i s 
o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o f o r m a l 
r e v i s i o n b e f o r e 
p u b l i c a t i o n i n 
t h e 
advance 
s h e e t s o f 
Southern Reporter. 
R e a d e r s a r e 
r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e 
Reporter of 
Decisions, 
Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229¬
0 6 4 9 ) , o f 
any 
t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n 
o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may 
be 
made b e f o r e 
t h e o p i n i o n i s 
p r i n t e d i n 
Southern Reporter. 
SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA 
SPECIAL TERM, 2009 
1071410 
Ex p a r t e Donderrious W i l l i a m s 
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI 
TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS 
( I n r e : 
Donderrious W i l l i a m s 
v. 
S t a t e o f Alabama) 
( J e f f e r s o n C i r c u i t Court, CC-06-1456; 
Court o f C r i m i n a l Appeals, CR-07-0456) 
PER CURIAM. 
D o n d e r r i o u s W i l l i a m s was c o n v i c t e d o f c a p i t a l m u r d e r , as 
t h a t o f f e n s e i s 
d e f i n e d i n 
§ 1 3 A - 5 - 4 0 ( a ) ( 1 7 ) , A l a . 
Code 
1 9 7 5 , 
1071410 
and was s e n t e n c e d t o l i f e i m p r i s o n m e n t w i t h o u t t h e p o s s i b i l i t y 
o f 
p a r o l e . 
The C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s a f f i r m e d W i l l i a m s ' s 
c o n v i c t i o n 
and 
s e n t e n c e 
i n an 
u n p u b l i s h e d 
memorandum. 
W i l l i a m s v. S t a t e (No. CR-07-0456, J u n e 13, 2 0 0 8 ) , 
So. 3d 
( A l a . 
C r i m . App. 2 
0 
0 
8 ) ( t a b l e ) . 
W i l l i a m s s u b s e q u e n t l y 
p e t i t i o n e d 
t h i s C o u r t f o r 
a w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i , 
a r g u i n g t h a t 
t h e 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
e r r e d b y n o t r e v e r s i n g h i s 
c o n v i c t i o n 
b a s e d 
on what 
W i l l i a m s 
a l l e g e s 
was t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s e r r o n e o u s 
r u l i n g on a m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s 
s t a t e m e n t s 
W i l l i a m s h a d made 
a f t e r 
i n v o k i n g h i s r i g h t t o c o u n s e l . 
We 
g r a n t e d 
c e r t i o r a r i 
r e v i e w t o a d d r e s s 
w h e t h e r 
t h e C o u r t o f 
C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s 
c o r r e c t l y 
h e l d 
t h a t W i l l i a m s ' s r e q u e s t f o r 
c o u n s e l d u r i n g h i s c u s t o d i a l 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n was an a m b i g u o u s 
a s s e r t i o n o f h i s F i f t h Amendment r i g h t s a n d , i f 
n o t , w h e t h e r 
t h e 
p o l i c e v i o l a t e d E d w a r d s v . A r i z o n a , 451 U.S. 477 ( 1 9 8 1 ) , 
when 
t h e y 
r e i n i t i a t e d 
c o n t a c t 
w i t h 
W i l l i a m s 
a f t e r 
he h a d 
r e q u e s t e d c o u n s e l . 
F a c t s and P r o c e d u r a l H i s t o r y 
On November 30, 2 0 0 5 , t h e B i r m i n g h a m 
P o l i c e 
D e p a r t m e n t 
r e c e i v e d a t e l e p h o n e c a l l r e g a r d i n g an u n i d e n t i f i e d male 
l y i n g 
i n an a l l e y w a y . The m a l e , 
l a t e r d e t e r m i n e d t o be B r y a n L e w i s , 
2 
1071410 
had 
s u f f e r e d a g u n s h o t wound and 
was 
p r o n o u n c e d d e a d a t 
t h e 
s c e n e . 
P o l i c e o f f i c e r s q u e s t i o n e d W i l l i a m s r e g a r d i n g 
L e w i s ' s 
k i l l i n g 
on two 
o c c a s i o n s : 
on November 30, 2005, and 
December 
14, 
2005. 
On 
November 
30, 
2005, 
when 
t h e y 
f i r s t 
q u e s t i o n e d 
W i l l i a m s , 
o f f i c e r s 
a d v i s e d 
W i l l i a m s 
o f 
h i s 
r i g h t s 
u n d e r 
M i r a n d a 
v. 
A r i z o n a , 
384 
U.S. 
436 
( 1 9 6 6 ) . 
W i l l i a m s 
w a i v e d 
t h o s e 
r i g h t s 
and 
a g r e e d 
t o 
t a l k 
w i t h 
t h e 
o f f i c e r s . 
The 
o f f i c e r s 
a u d i o t a p e d 
and 
v i d e o t a p e d 
t h e 
i n t e r v i e w . 
A f t e r 
s p e a k i n g w i t h t h e o f f i c e r s f o r some t i m e , W i l l i a m s s t a t e d , " I 
n e e d a l a w y e r , 
man. 
I w o u l d t a l k t o y ' a l l i f I had 
a 
l a w y e r . 
I p r o m i s e . " 
W i l l i a m s t h e n a s k e d t o make a t e l e p h o n e 
c a l l ; 
t h e 
o f f i c e r s w o u l d n o t 
a l l o w i t and 
t o l d h i m 
t h a t he w o u l d be 
i n 
j a i l 
f o r a t l e a s t two d a y s . 
W i l l i a m s s t a t e d t h a t he h a d b e e n 
q u e s t i o n e d 
i n a n o t h e r 
c i t y 
r e g a r d i n g 
a 
d i f f e r e n t 
c r i m e 
and 
t h a t 
t h e 
o f f i c e r s 
t h e r e had 
a l l o w e d 
h i m 
t o make a 
t e l e p h o n e 
c a l l . 
The 
o f f i c e r s 
i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
c r i m e 
u n d e r 
i n v e s t i g a t i o n h e r e was 
a more s e r i o u s 
c r i m e . 
The 
o f f i c e r s t h e n e x p l a i n e d t o W i l l i a m s what w o u l d h a p p e n 
n e x t 
i n t h e 
i n v e s t i g a t i o n 
-- 
t h a t t h e y w o u l d t a k e 
h i m home, 
t h a t 
t h e y w o u l d i n v e s t i g a t e t h e 
c r i m e , 
and 
t h a t he w o u l d 
be 
3 
1071410 
a s s i g n e d 
a 
l a w y e r . 
The 
o f f i c e r 
t h e n 
s t a t e d , 
"You 
a l r e a d y 
a s k e d f o r a l a w y e r , 
r i g h t ? " t o w h i c h W i l l i a m s 
r e p l i e d t h a t 
he 
had 
n o t 
a s k e d 
f o r 
a 
l a w y e r 
b u t 
t h a t 
he 
w o u l d 
" t a k e " 
one. 
W i l l i a m s 
a l s o s t a t e d t h a t he 
d i d n o t 
do 
a n y t h i n g w r o n g . 
One 
o f t h e 
o f f i c e r s 
e j e c t e d t h e a u d i o c a s s e t t e 
t a p e t h a t had 
b e e n 
r e c o r d i n g 
t h e 
i n t e r v i e w ; h o w e v e r , 
t h e 
v i d e o t a p e 
o f 
t h e 
i n t e r v i e w 
c o n t i n u e d 
t o 
r e c o r d . 
One 
o f 
t h e 
o f f i c e r s 
s t a t e d 
t h a t i f W i l l i a m s w a n t e d t o t a l k , W i l l i a m s 
c o u l d r e a f f i r m 
h i s 
r i g h t s ; o t h e r w i s e , 
t h e o f f i c e r s c o u l d n o t t a l k t o h i m anymore. 
W i l l i a m s 
r e s p o n d e d 
t h a t 
he 
was 
t a l k i n g . 
The 
o f f i c e r s 
t o l d 
W i l l i a m s t h a t he c o u l d g e t o u t on b o n d . 
W i l l i a m s a s k e d i f he 
c o u l d t e l e p h o n e 
h i s g i r l f r i e n d ; he 
t o l d t h e 
o f f i c e r s 
t h a t i f 
he was 
a l l o w e d t o t e l e p h o n e 
h i s g i r l f r i e n d , he w o u l d 
t e l l 
t h e 
t r u t h . 
One 
o f 
t h e 
o f f i c e r s 
a l l o w e d 
W i l l i a m s 
t o 
use 
t h e 
o f f i c e r ' s 
c e l l u l a r t e l e p h o n e 
t o make a t e l e p h o n e 
c a l l 
w h i l e 
t h e o f f i c e r s 
l e f t t h e i n t e r r o g a t i o n room. 
S h o r t l y t h e r e a f t e r , 
t h e o f f i c e r s r e t u r n e d . 
W i l l i a m s a s k e d who 
he was 
s u s p e c t e d 
o f 
m u r d e r i n g . 
The 
o f f i c e r s 
showed 
W i l l i a m s 
a 
p h o t o g r a p h 
o f 
L e w i s . 
The 
o f f i c e r s a s k e d W i l l i a m s 
i f he was 
r e a d y t o 
t a l k . 
W i l l i a m s r e s p o n d e d t h a t he 
d i d n o t h a v e a n y t h i n g 
t o do 
w i t h 
t h e m u r d e r , 
and 
one 
o f 
t h e 
o f f i c e r s 
a s k e d W i l l i a m s 
t o 
t e l l 
4 
1071410 
what he knew. 
W i l l i a m s 
s t a t e d t h a t t h e o f f i c e r s were 
t r y i n g 
t o i n c r i m i n a t e h i m , and W i l l i a m s t h e n s t a t e d e i t h e r " I f 
I h a d 
a l a w y e r , 
i f 
I h a d a l a w y e r , I ' d t e l l you e v e r y t h i n g , " o r 
" I f 
I 
h a d 
a 
l a w y e r , 
i f I 
j u s t 
h a d 
a 
l a w y e r , 
I ' d 
t e l l 
you 
e v e r y t h i n g , " o r "May I have a l a w y e r , 
i f 
I h a d a l a w y e r , 
I ' d 
t e l l you e v e r y t h i n g , " "I'm 
s o r r y . "
1 
One o f t h e o f f i c e r s 
t o l d 
W i l l i a m s 
t h a t t h e r e was no n e e d t o a p o l o g i z e . 
A t t h a t 
p o i n t , 
t h e 
o f f i c e r s e n d e d t h e i n t e r v i e w and 
l e f t t h e room. 
S h o r t l y 
t h e r e a f t e r , 
a 
p o l i c e 
s e r g e a n t 
e n t e r e d 
t h e 
i n t e r v i e w room and t o l d W i l l i a m s 
t h a t t h e s e r g e a n t n e e d e d t o 
c l a r i f y w h e t h e r W i l l i a m s 
w a n t e d t o c o n t i n u e 
t a l k i n g 
t o t h e 
p o l i c e . 
The s e r g e a n t a s k e d i f 
W i l l i a m s was w i l l i n g t o a n s w e r 
a f e w q u e s t i o n s 
o r i f 
he was a b s o l u t e l y i n v o k i n g h i s r i g h t t o 
c o u n s e l . 
W i l l i a m s e x p r e s s e d h i s f r u s t r a t i o n w i t h t h e o f f i c e r s 
who 
h a d b e e n 
q u e s t i o n i n g 
h i m p r e v i o u s l y and 
s a i d t h a t 
t h e y 
were 
t r y i n g 
t o 
i n c r i m i n a t e 
h i m . 
The 
s e r g e a n t 
a s k e d i f 
W i l l i a m s was 
w i l l i n g t o a n s w e r a f e w more q u e s t i o n s 
and 
t o l d 
h i m 
t h a t he was 
f r e e n o t a n s w e r any o f t h e q u e s t i o n s . 
The 
1 W i l l i a m s ' s 
i n t e r v i e w was v i d e o t a p e d , 
and i t i s n o t c l e a r 
what w o r d s W i l l i a m s u s e d r e g a r d i n g a l a w y e r a t t h a t p o i n t i n 
t h e 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n . 
A 
t r a n s c r i p t was 
made 
o f t h e 
p o l i c e 
i n t e r v i e w , 
b u t 
i t was 
n o t 
o f f e r e d 
i n t o 
e v i d e n c e , 
and i t 
a p p e a r s 
f r o m 
t h e 
r e c o r d 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r a n s c r i p t 
r e f e r s 
t o 
W i l l i a m s ' s 
r e q u e s t 
as b e i n g 
" i n a u d i b l e . " 
5 
1071410 
s e r g e a n t 
t o l d 
W i l l i a m s 
t h a t t h e d e t e c t i v e s w a n t e d t o h e a r 
W i l l i a m s ' s 
s t o r y a n d t h a t he w o u l d be r e l e a s e d i f 
t h e s t o r y 
c h e c k e d o u t . The s e r g e a n t 
t o l d W i l l i a m s t h a t he h a d n o t b e e n 
c h a r g e d w i t h a n y t h i n g . 
W i l l i a m s a s k e d i f 
t h e c o n v e r s a t i o n h a d 
t o be t a p e - r e c o r d e d , 
a n d t h e s e r g e a n t 
t o l d h i m t h a t i t d i d 
n o t . 
The s e r g e a n t 
t o l d W i l l i a m s 
t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t 
W i l l i a m s 
h a d 
b e e n 
i n v o l v e d 
i n 
L e w i s ' s 
m u r d e r . 
S u b s e q u e n t l y , 
W i l l i a m s made i n c r i m i n a t i n g s t a t e m e n t s t o 
t h e 
s e r g e a n t . 
The s e c o n d i n t e r r o g a t i o n o c c u r r e d on December 14, 2005. 
D e t e c t i v e 
E r i c 
T o r r e n c e was one o f t h e o f f i c e r s 
who h a d 
o r i g i n a l l y 
q u e s t i o n e d 
W i l l i a m s , 
a n d 
he 
r e s u m e d 
t h e 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n on December 14, 2005, r e c o r d i n g t h e i n t e r v i e w . 
D e t e c t i v e 
T o r r e n c e 
a g a i n 
i n f o r m e d 
W i l l i a m s 
o f h i s M i r a n d a 
r i g h t s , 
a n d W i l l i a m s 
a g r e e d t o t a l k . 
W i l l i a m s 
t h e n made 
i n c r i m i n a t i n g s t a t e m e n t s t o t h e d e t e c t i v e . 
B e f o r e 
t r i a l , 
W i l l i a m s 
f i l e d a m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s t h e 
s t a t e m e n t s he h a d made d u r i n g t h e i n t e r r o g a t i o n s on November 
30, 
2005, a n d December 
14, 2005. 
A t t h a t 
t i m e , t h e S t a t e 
i n d i c a t e d t h a t i t 
d i d 
n o t i n t e n d t o o f f e r t h e s t a t e m e n t s 
i n t o 
e v i d e n c e . 
The t r i a l c o u r t d e n i e d t h e 
m o t i o n b u t n o t e d t h a t 
i f 
6 
1071410 
t h e S t a t e a t t e m p t e d t o u s e t h e s t a t e m e n t s , t h e n W i l l i a m s 
c o u l d 
r e n e w t h e m o t i o n . 
A t 
t r i a l , t h e S t a t e d e t e r m i n e d t h a t i t d i d 
want t o q u e s t i o n 
one 
o f t h e 
o f f i c e r s 
a b o u t 
t h e 
s t a t e m e n t s 
W i l l i a m s 
h a d 
made 
d u r i n g 
t h e 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n s . 
W i l l i a m s 
o b j e c t e d . 
The 
t r i a l c o u r t h e l d a h e a r i n g o u t s i d e t h e p r e s e n c e 
o f 
t h e 
j u r y . 
D e t e c t i v e 
T o r r e n c e 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
a f t e r 
t h e 
i n i t i a l 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
on 
November 
30, 
2005, 
members 
o f 
W i l l i a m s ' s 
f a m i l y h a d c o n t a c t e d h i m and s t a t e d t h a t 
W i l l i a m s 
w a n t e d t o t a l k t o t h e d e t e c t i v e a g a i n , and D e t e c t i v e 
T o r r e n c e 
t h e n 
i n t e r r o g a t e d W i l l i a m s 
on December 14, 2005. 
D e t e c t i v e 
T o r r e n c e c o u l d n o t remember t h e names o f t h e f a m i l y members he 
s a y s c o n t a c t e d h i m . 
D e t e c t i v e T o r r e n c e s t a t e d t h a t 
W i l l i a m s 
n e v e r " d i r e c t l y " s t a t e d t h a t he w a n t e d t o t a l k w i t h h i m 
a g a i n . 
A f t e r t h e h e a r i n g , t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t r u l e d on W i l l i a m s ' s 
m o t i o n 
t o 
s u p p r e s s : 
" T h i s i s my h o l d i n g on t h i s p a r t i c u l a r m o t i o n t o 
s u p p r e s s . 
I have t o a g r e e t o a c e r t a i n e x t e n t t h a t 
b a s e d 
on 
t h e 
way 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t 
r e f e r r e d 
t o 
an 
a t t o r n e y , I c o u l d see where t h e d e t e c t i v e s a r e n o t 
c l e a r w h e t h e r 
he i s s a y i n g he w a n t s an a t t o r n e y 
o r 
he d o e s n ' t want an 
a t t o r n e y . 
"He 
a p p e a r e d t o want an a t t o r n e y 
i n i t i a l l y 
e v e n 
t h o u g h 
i t was 
a m b i g u o u s . 
And 
t h e n when 
S e r g e a n t 
H a r d i m a n came i n and t r i e d t o c l e a r i t up, i t i s n o t 
c l e a r t o me 
t h a t i t g o t c l e a r e d up. 
7 
1071410 
" I t i s t h i s . 
One t h i n g l e d t o a n o t h e r a n d t h e y 
w e r e 
t a l k i n g 
a b o u t t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
a n d g o t b a c k 
i n t o a s t a t e m e n t a t a p o i n t t o where i t 
n e v e r was 
c l e a r w h e t h e r h i s a s s e r t i o n o f an a t t o r n e y 
i n i t i a l l y 
was 
a b s o l u t e o r w h e t h e r i t was a mere 
r e f e r e n c e . 
" I am g o i n g t o h o l d t h a t a n y s t a t e m e n t made up 
u n t i l t h e d e f e n d a n t 
r e f e r r e d t o an a t t o r n e y 
b e i n g 
p r e s e n t 
- - b e c a u s e 
p a r t o f i t i s l i s t e d 
on y o u r 
t r a n s c r i p t as i n a u d i b l e a n d y o u c a n h e a r a 
l i t t l e 
b i t 
more 
i n t h e v i d e o 
- - I am 
g o i n g 
t o 
h o l d 
e v e r y t h i n g 
up 
t o 
t h a t 
p o i n t 
as 
a d m i s s i b l e , 
e v e r y t h i n g i n t h a t 11/30, November 30, s t a t e m e n t . 
" A f t e r t h a t i s 
n o t a d m i s s i b l e . 
When we g e t 
t o 
t h e December 14, 2005, s t a t e m e n t , I am h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
t h a t 
i s a d m i s s i b l e . 
I am 
p a r t i a l l y 
d e n y i n g a n d 
p a r t i a l l y g r a n t i n g t h e m o t i o n t o 
s u p p r e s s . " 
When t h e j u r y 
r e t u r n e d 
a n d D e t e c t i v e 
T o r r e n c e 
t e s t i f i e d 
r e g a r d i n g W i l l i a m s ' s 
s t a t e m e n t s , 
W i l l i a m s 
o b j e c t e d . 
A f t e r a 
s i d e b a r c o n f e r e n c e , 
D e t e c t i v e T o r r e n c e was a l l o w e d t o t e s t i f y . 
The 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
l a t e r 
a l l o w e d 
W i l l i a m s 
t o p r e s e r v e h i s 
o b j e c t i o n t o t h e December 14, 2005, 
s t a t e m e n t . 
"THE 
COURT: Do y o u want t o go a h e a d a n d s t a t e 
f o r t h e r e c o r d what y o u s a i d so t h a t we c a n p r e s e r v e 
y o u r a r g u m e n t ? 
"MR. 
MAY 
[ d e f e n s e 
c o u n s e l ] : 
Y e s , s i r , Y o u r 
H o n o r . J u d g e , a t t h e s i d e b a r t h e d e f e n s e o b j e c t e d t o 
and 
r e n e w s 
o u r 
o b j e c t i o n 
t o t h e 
t e s t i m o n y 
o f 
D e t e c t i v e 
T o r r e n c e ' s 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n / i n t e r v i e w o f 
D o n d e r r i o u s W i l l i a m s on December 14, 2005. 
" S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
J u d g e , 
u s i n g 
as a 
p o i n t 
o f 
a r g u m e n t 
a n d 
r e f e r e n c e 
t h e c a s e 
o f 
M i n n i c k 
v . 
 
M i s s i s s i p p i , 
[498 U.S. 146 ( 1 9 9 0 ) ] . 
I n t h a t 
c a s e , 
8 
1071410 
J u d g e -- and 
i t i s o u r a r g u m e n t t h a t t h a t i s what 
we 
h a v e 
i n 
t h i s 
-- 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n must 
c e a s e 
and 
o f f i c i a l s may 
n o t 
[ r e i n i t i a t e ] i n t e r r o g a t i o n w i t h o u t 
c o u n s e l 
p r e s e n t , 
w h e t h e r 
o r 
n o t 
t h e 
a c c u s e d 
has 
c o n s u l t e d w i t h h i s 
a t t o r n e y . 
"The 
C o u r t 
i n t h a t c a s e went 
on 
t o 
h o l d 
t h a t 
when 
an 
a c c u s e d 
has 
i n v o k e d 
h i s 
r i g h t 
t o 
c o u n s e l 
d u r i n g p r e s e n t 
c u s t o d i a l i n t e r r o g a t i o n , ... 
a 
w a i v e r 
o f t h a t r i g h t c a n n o t be e s t a b l i s h e d by s h o w i n g 
o n l y 
t h a t 
he 
r e s p o n d e d 
t o 
f u r t h e r 
p o l i c e - i n i t i a t e d 
c u s t o d i a l i n t e r r o g a t i o n , e v e n i f he has b e e n 
a d v i s e d 
o f h i s 
r i g h t s . 
" F u r t h e r , 
an 
a c c u s e d 
who 
has 
r e q u e s t e d 
an 
a t t o r n e y , 
h a v i n g 
e x p r e s s e d 
h i s d e s i r e t o d e a l 
w i t h 
t h e p o l i c e o n l y t h r o u g h c o u n s e l , 
i s n o t 
s u b j e c t 
t o 
f u r t h e r 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
by 
t h e 
a u t h o r i t i e s 
u n t i l 
c o u n s e l 
had 
b e e n made a v a i l a b l e t o h i m 
u n l e s s 
t h e 
a c c u s e d 
h i m s e l f 
i n i t i a t e s 
f u r t h e r 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n , 
e x c h a n g e s , o r c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h t h e 
p o l i c e . 
" J u d g e , v e r y 
b r i e f l y , what we 
w i l l 
s a y 
i n 
t h i s 
c a s e i s t h a t on November 30, 2005, when Mr. 
W i l l i a m s 
r e q u e s t e d 
c o u n s e l , 
t h a t 
a l l i n t e r r o g a t i o n a t 
t h a t 
p o i n t s h o u l d h a v e by 
l a w s t o p p e d . And 
t h e 
f a c t 
t h a t 
he 
was 
r e a d 
h i s M i r a n d a 
r i g h t s 
any 
t i m e 
s u b s e q u e n t 
t o t h a t , p r i o r 
t o h i m 
r e c e i v i n g an 
a t t o r n e y 
i s 
n o t 
p e r m i s s i b l e and 
t h a t i n t e r r o g a t i o n , t h a t s u b s e q u e n t 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n , 
i s n o t 
a l l o w e d . " 
W i l l i a m s 
was 
c o n v i c t e d , 
and 
he 
a p p e a l e d . 
The 
C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s , 
i n i t s u n p u b l i s h e d memorandum a f f i r m i n g h i s 
c o n v i c t i o n , 
s t a t e d , w i t h 
r e g a r d 
t o t h e 
a d m i s s i b i l i t y 
o f 
t h e 
s t a t e m e n t s , 
as f o l l o w s : 
" [ W i l l i a m s ] 
made 
two 
s e p a r a t e 
e q u i v o c a l 
a s s e r t i o n s 
r e g a r d i n g 
h i s r i g h t 
t o c o u n s e l . 
I n e a c h 
i n s t a n c e , 
t h e 
o f f i c e r s 
i m m e d i a t e l y 
s t o p p e d 
9 
1071410 
q u e s t i o n i n g 
h i m a b o u t 
t h e o f f e n s e 
and 
s o u g h t t o 
c l a r i f y w h e t h e r he was 
a c t u a l l y 
i n v o k i n g h i s r i g h t 
t o c o u n s e l 
b e f o r e 
c o n t i n u i n g w i t h f u r t h e r 
q u e s t i o n s 
a b o u t 
t h e 
o f f e n s e . 
I n e a c h 
i n s t a n c e , 
[ W i l l i a m s ] 
a p p e a r e d t o i n d i c a t e 
t h a t he d i d n o t w i s h t o s p e a k 
t o an a t t o r n e y and t h a t he was w i l l i n g t o 
c o n t i n u e 
t o s p e a k t o t h e o f f i c e r s 
a b o u t t h e o f f e n s e . 
U n d e r 
t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , 
t h e t r i a l c o u r t p r o p e r l y 
d e n i e d 
[ W i l l i a m s ' s ] m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s t h e s t a t e m e n t 
f r o m 
December 14, 2005, b e c a u s e i t d o e s n o t a p p e a r 
t h a t 
[ W i l l i a m s ] 
a c t u a l l y 
i n v o k e d 
h i s r i g h t 
t o 
c o u n s e l 
d u r i n g 
q u e s t i o n i n g on November 30, 2005. 
" M o r e o v e r , e v e n i f [ W i l l i a m s ] h a d i n v o k e d h i s 
r i g h t t o c o u n s e l 
on November 30, 2005, 
[ D e t e c t i v e ] 
T o r r e n c e 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t he q u e s t i o n e d 
[ W i l l i a m s ] on 
December 14, 2005, 
o n l y 
a f t e r one o f 
[ W i l l i a m s ' s ] 
f a m i l y members t o l d h i m [ W i l l i a m s ] w a n t e d t o t a l k t o 
h i m 
a g a i n . 
[ W i l l i a m s ] d i d n o t d i s p u t e 
[ D e t e c t i v e ] 
T o r r e n c e ' s 
t e s t i m o n y . 
B e c a u s e 
i t a p p e a r s 
t h a t 
[ W i l l i a m s ] 
r e i n i t i a t e d 
c o n t a c t 
w i t h 
[ D e t e c t i v e ] 
T o r r e n c e , 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
p r o p e r l y 
d e n i e d 
[ W i l l i a m s ' s ] 
m o t i o n 
t o s u p p r e s s 
t h e s t a t e m e n t 
he 
made t o [ D e t e c t i v e ] T o r r e n c e on December 14, 2 0 0 5 . " 
W i l l i a m s 
t i m e l y 
s o u g h t 
c e r t i o r a r i 
r e v i e w 
o f t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s ' d e c i s i o n . 
D i s c u s s i o n 
The C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s a f f i r m e d t h e t r i a l 
c o u r t ' s 
d e n i a l o f W i l l i a m s ' s m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s h i s 
December 14, 2005, 
s t a t e m e n t b e c a u s e , i t 
h e l d , W i l l i a m s n e v e r c l e a r l y i n v o k e d h i s 
r i g h t t o c o u n s e l 
d u r i n g t h e November 30, 2005, 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n . 
The 
C o u r t 
o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s 
f u r t h e r 
h e l d 
t h a t 
e v e n i f 
W i l l i a m s 
h a d i n v o k e d 
h i s r i g h t 
t o c o u n s e l 
on November 30, 
10 
1071410 
2005, t h e s t a t e m e n t s he made on December 14, 2005, s h o u l d n o t 
be s u p p r e s s e d b e c a u s e t h e s t a t e m e n t s were made a f t e r 
W i l l i a m s 
r e i n i t i a t e d 
c o n t a c t w i t h t h e p o l i c e t h r o u g h a t h i r d 
p a r t y . 
W i l l i a m s a r g u e s t h a t t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s 
e r r e d 
i n 
d e t e r m i n i n g 
t h a t 
h i s s t a t e m e n t s 
a s s e r t i n g h i s 
F i f t h 
Amendment 
r i g h t t o c o u n s e l 
were a m b i g u o u s . 
W i l l i a m s 
a l s o 
a r g u e s t h a t b e c a u s e he p r o p e r l y a s s e r t e d h i s r i g h t t o c o u n s e l , 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
v i o l a t e d 
E d w a r d s v . A r i z o n a , 
s u p r a , 
when 
t h e y 
r e i n i t i a t e d c o n t a c t w i t h h i m b a s e d on t h e r e q u e s t o f a t h i r d 
p a r t y , e v e n t h o u g h he h a d p r e v i o u s l y d e c l i n e d t o t a l k t o 
t h e 
p o l i c e w i t h o u t an a t t o r n e y 
p r e s e n t . 
I t i s 
n o t n e c e s s a r y 
f o r t h i s C o u r t t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r 
W i l l i a m s ' s 
r e q u e s t f o r 
an a t t o r n e y on November 30, 2005, was 
u n e q u i v o c a l . 
E v e n i f 
we assume t h a t W i l l i a m s ' s 
r e q u e s t was 
u n e q u i v o c a l , 
W i l l i a m s ' s 
a r g u m e n t 
t h a t t h e p o l i c e 
v i o l a t e d 
E d w a r d s v . A r i z o n a when t h e y 
r e i n i t i a t e d 
c o n t a c t w i t h h i m 
i s 
d i s p o s i t i v e o f t h i s 
c a s e . 
H o l d i n g o f E d w a r d s v. A r i z o n a 
I n E d w a r d s v. A r i z o n a , 
s u p r a , t h e s u s p e c t , 
E d w a r d s , was 
a r r e s t e d on c h a r g e s o f r o b b e r y , 
b u r g l a r y , a n d f i r s t - d e g r e e 
m u r d e r . 
The 
a r r e s t i n g 
o f f i c e r 
r e a d 
E d w a r d s h i s M i r a n d a 
11 
1071410 
r i g h t s . 
E d w a r d s s t a t e d t h a t he u n d e r s t o o d t h o s e 
r i g h t s and 
t h a t he was w i l l i n g t o a n s w e r q u e s t i o n s r e g a r d i n g t h e c h a r g e s . 
E d w a r d s 
t o l d t h e p o l i c e t h a t he w a n t e d t o "make a d e a l " and 
l a t e r 
s t a t e d t h a t he w a n t e d t o s p e a k t o an a t t o r n e y 
b e f o r e 
m a k i n g a d e a l . 
The o f f i c e r 
c e a s e d q u e s t i o n i n g E d w a r d s , and 
E d w a r d s was t a k e n t o c o u n t y 
j a i l . 
The n e x t d a y , h o w e v e r , two 
p o l i c e d e t e c t i v e s ( c o l l e a g u e s o f t h e a r r e s t i n g o f f i c e r ) came 
t o t h e j a i l and a s k e d t o s p e a k w i t h E d w a r d s . 
E d w a r d s 
r e f u s e d 
t o 
t a l k w i t h t h e d e t e c t i v e s , b u t t h e g u a r d 
t o l d h i m t h a t he 
" h a d " t o t a l k w i t h them. 
The d e t e c t i v e s i n f o r m e d 
E d w a r d s o f 
h i s 
M i r a n d a 
r i g h t s , 
and E d w a r d s 
a g r e e d 
t o 
t a l k 
t o t h e 
d e t e c t i v e s . 
He s u b s e q u e n t l y 
i n c r i m i n a t e d h i m s e l f d u r i n g t h e 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n . 
E d w a r d s ' s c o n f e s s i o n was a d m i t t e d a t 
t r i a l , 
and he was c o n v i c t e d on a l l t h e c h a r g e s . 
The 
Supreme C o u r t i n E d w a r d s 
h e l d : 
" [ W ] h e n an a c c u s e d h a s i n v o k e d 
h i s r i g h t t o h a v e 
c o u n s e l 
p r e s e n t 
d u r i n g 
c u s t o d i a l i n t e r r o g a t i o n , a 
v a l i d w a i v e r o f t h a t r i g h t c a n n o t be e s t a b l i s h e d b y 
s h o w i n g 
o n l y 
t h a t he r e s p o n d e d t o f u r t h e r 
p o l i c e -
i n i t i a t e d 
c u s t o d i a l i n t e r r o g a t i o n e v e n i f he h a s 
b e e n a d v i s e d o f h i s r i g h t s . 
We f u r t h e r h o l d t h a t an 
a c c u s e d ... h a v i n g e x p r e s s e d h i s 
d e s i r e t o d e a l 
w i t h 
t h e p o l i c e o n l y t h r o u g h c o u n s e l , i s n o t s u b j e c t t o 
f u r t h e r 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n b y 
t h e 
a u t h o r i t i e s 
u n t i l 
c o u n s e l h a s b e e n made a v a i l a b l e t o h i m , u n l e s s t h e 
a c c u s e d 
h i m s e l f 
i n i t i a t e s 
f u r t h e r 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n , 
e x c h a n g e s , o r c o n v e r s a t i o n s 
w i t h t h e p o l i c e . " 
12 
1071410 
451 
U.S. 
a t 484-85 
( f o o t n o t e 
o m i t t e d ) . 
I n s u p p o r t o f 
i t s 
d e c i s i o n , t h e Supreme C o u r t c i t e d 
s e v e r a l 
c a s e s i s s u e d 
b o t h 
b e f o r e 
and 
a f t e r 
M i r a n d a 
t h a t 
h a d 
e s t a b l i s h e d 
a 
r u l e t o 
p r o t e c t 
s u s p e c t s i n p o l i c e c u s t o d y f r o m b e i n g 
" b a d g e r e d " b y 
p o l i c e 
o f f i c e r s 
i n t o w a i v i n g 
t h e i r p r e v i o u s l y 
a s s e r t e d 
r i g h t 
t o 
c o u n s e l .
2 
" [ T h i s ] 
C o u r t 
has 
s t r o n g l y 
i n d i c a t e d 
t h a t 
a d d i t i o n a l s a f e g u a r d s a r e n e c e s s a r y when an a c c u s e d a s k s f o r 
c o u n s e l 
" 
451 U.S. a t 484. 
" [ I ] t i s i n c o n s i s t e n t 
w i t h 
M i r a n d a 
and 
i t s p r o g e n y 
f o r t h e 
a u t h o r i t i e s , 
a t 
t h e i r 
2The Supreme C o u r t c i t e d t h e f o l l o w i n g c a s e s : M a s s i a h v .  
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s , 
377 
U.S. 
2 0 1 , 
206 
(19 6 
4 ) ( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
a 
d e f e n d a n t 
i s " d e n i e d 
t h e b a s i c 
p r o t e c t i o n s 
o f [ t h e S i x t h 
Amendment] when 
t h e r e 
[ i s ] u s e d 
a g a i n s t 
h i m a t h i s 
t r i a l 
e v i d e n c e o f h i s own i n c r i m i n a t i n g w o r d s , w h i c h f e d e r a l a g e n t s 
had 
d e l i b e r a t e l y e l i c i t e d f r o m h i m a f t e r he h a d b e e n i n d i c t e d 
and i n t h e a b s e n c e o f h i s c o u n s e l " ) ; 
M i c h i g a n v . M o s l e y , 423 
U.S. 
96, 
104 
n. 
10 
(19 7 
5 ) ( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
p r o c e d u r a l 
s a f e g u a r d s 
t r i g g e r e d by a r e q u e s t 
t o r e m a i n 
s i l e n t 
and a 
r e q u e s t 
f o r an 
a t t o r n e y 
a r e 
d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e ) ; B r e w e r 
v . 
 
W i l l i a m s , 
430 U.S. 387 
(1 
97 
7 ) ( h o l d i n g 
t h a t a w a i v e r o f t h e 
S i x t h Amendment r i g h t t o c o u n s e l 
c o u l d n o t be i n f e r r e d f r o m 
t h e mere r e s p o n s e b y t h e a c c u s e d t o o v e r t o r more s u b t l e f o r m s 
o f 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n o r o t h e r 
e f f o r t s t o 
e l i c i t 
i n c r i m i n a t i n g 
i n f o r m a t i o n ) ; 
Rhode 
I s l a n d 
v . 
I n n i s , 
446 U.S. 
2 9 1 , 298 
( 1 9 8 0 ) ( h o l d i n g 
t h a t a s u s p e c t has an " u n d i s p u t e d r i g h t " u n d e r 
M i r a n d a t o r e m a i n 
s i l e n t and be f r e e o f i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
" u n t i l 
he has c o n s u l t e d 
w i t h a l a w y e r " ) ; and F a r e v . M i c h a e l C., 442 
U.S. 707, 719 (1979) 
( r e f e r r i n g t o M i r a n d a ' s 
" r i g i d r u l e 
t h a t 
an a c c u s e d ' s r e q u e s t f o r an a t t o r n e y i s p e r se an 
i n v o c a t i o n 
o f 
h i s 
F i f t h 
Amendment 
r i g h t s , 
r e q u i r i n g 
t h a t 
a l l 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
c e a s e " ) . 
13 
1071410 
i n s t a n c e , t o r e i n t e r r o g a t e an a c c u s e d i n c u s t o d y i f 
he h a s 
c l e a r l y a s s e r t e d h i s r i g h t t o c o u n s e l . " 
451 U.S. a t 485. 
The Supreme C o u r t i n 
E d w a r d s made i t 
c l e a r t h a t a s u s p e c t 
may w a i v e h i s 
p r e v i o u s l y a s s e r t e d r i g h t t o c o u n s e l and r e s p o n d 
t o 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n . 
H o w e v e r , when an a c c u s e d h a s i n v o k e d h i s 
r i g h t 
t o c o u n s e l , a v a l i d 
w a i v e r o f t h a t 
r i g h t 
c a n n o t 
be 
e s t a b l i s h e d b y s h o w i n g 
o n l y 
t h a t t h e a c c u s e d 
r e s p o n d e d t o 
p o l i c e - i n i t i a t e d 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
a f t e r 
a g a i n b e i n g a d v i s e d o f 
h i s M i r a n d a 
r i g h t s . 
The Supreme C o u r t h e l d t h a t , b a s e d on a 
t o t a l i t y 
o f t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , E d w a r d s ' s 
F i f t h 
Amendment 
r i g h t s were v i o l a t e d and h i s c o n f e s s i o n due t o be s u p p r e s s e d 
b e c a u s e E d w a r d s h a d n o t b e e n a p p o i n t e d c o u n s e l and t h e p o l i c e 
had 
i n i t i a t e d 
c o n t a c t w i t h E d w a r d s 
a f t e r he h a d r e q u e s t e d 
c o u n s e l . 
Supreme C o u r t j u r i s p r u d e n c e 
p r e - 
and p o s t - E d w a r d s v . A r i z o n a 
S u b s e q u e n t t o E d w a r d s , a p l u r a l i t y o f t h e C o u r t i n O r e g o n  
v. B r a d s h a w , 462 U.S. 1039 ( 1 9 8 3 ) , a d d r e s s e d what c o n s t i t u t e d , 
u n d e r E d w a r d s , 
" i n i t i a t i o n " by t h e a c c u s e d 
o f c o n v e r s a t i o n 
w i t h l a w e n f o r c e m e n t . 
Q u e s t i o n s b y t h e a c c u s e d r e g a r d i n g 
" t h e 
r o u t i n e i n c i d e n t s o f t h e c u s t o d i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p , " f o r e x a m p l e , 
a s k i n g t o u s e t h e b a t h r o o m o r t h e t e l e p h o n e , a r e n o t 
v a l i d 
14 
1071410 
i n i t i a t i o n s b y t h e a c c u s e d . 
462 U.S. a t 1045. 
I n s t e a d , t h e 
a c c u s e d 
must 
" e v i n c e [ ] a 
w i l l i n g n e s s 
and a 
d e s i r e 
f o r a 
g e n e r a l i z e d d i s c u s s i o n a b o u t t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n . " 
462 U.S. a t 
1045-46. 
I n A r i z o n a v. R o b e r s o n , 486 U.S. 675 ( 1 9 7 8 ) , t h e Supreme 
C o u r t 
a d d r e s s e d 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
F i f t h 
Amendment 
b a r s 
p o l i c e -
i n i t i a t e d 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
i n a 
c a s e 
f o l l o w i n g 
an 
a c c u s e d ' s 
r e q u e s t f o r c o u n s e l i n an i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f an u n r e l a t e d c a s e . 
R o b e r s o n 
was 
a r r e s t e d 
on 
s u s p i c i o n 
o f 
b u r g l a r y , 
and 
he 
r e q u e s t e d c o u n s e l b e f o r e a n s w e r i n g q u e s t i o n s . 
W h i l e he was 
s t i l l 
i n c u s t o d y on t h e b u r g l a r y c h a r g e , 
d i f f e r e n t 
o f f i c e r s 
r e a d 
R o b e r s o n 
h i s M i r a n d a 
r i g h t s , 
i n t e r r o g a t e d 
h i m , 
and 
o b t a i n e d 
i n c r i m i n a t i n g 
s t a t e m e n t s 
a b o u t 
a s e c o n d 
u n r e l a t e d 
o f f e n s e . 
The Supreme C o u r t h e l d t h a t t h e p r e s u m p t i o n 
t h a t a 
s u s p e c t b e l i e v e s he i s u n a b l e t o p r o c e e d w i t h o u t c o u n s e l "does 
n o t d i s a p p e a r s i m p l y b e c a u s e 
t h e p o l i c e h a v e a p p r o a c h e d t h e 
s u s p e c t , 
s t i l l 
i n c u s t o d y , 
s t i l l 
w i t h o u t 
c o u n s e l , a b o u t 
a 
s e p a r a t e i n v e s t i g a t i o n . " 
486 U.S. a t 683. 
The Supreme C o u r t 
r e j e c t e d 
t h e c o n t e n t i o n t h a t 
t h e p o l i c e 
o f f i c e r ' s 
l a c k o f 
k n o w l e d g e as t o R o b e r s o n ' s 
p r e v i o u s i n v o c a t i o n o f h i s M i r a n d a 
15 
1071410 
r i g h t s 
v i t i a t e d 
t h e p r o t e c t i o n s 
a f f o r d e d 
b y t h e 
r u l e 
o f 
E d w a r d s : 
" I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e f a c t t h a t E d w a r d s f o c u s e s on t h e 
s t a t e o f m i n d o f t h e s u s p e c t and n o t o f t h e p o l i c e , 
c u s t o d i a l 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n must be c o n d u c t e d 
p u r s u a n t 
t o e s t a b l i s h e d p r o c e d u r e s , and t h o s e p r o c e d u r e s i n 
t u r n must e n a b l e an o f f i c e r who p r o p o s e s t o i n i t i a t e 
an 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n t o d e t e r m i n e 
w h e t h e r 
t h e s u s p e c t 
has p r e v i o u s l y r e q u e s t e d c o u n s e l . ... 
[ W ] h e t h e r t h e 
same o r d i f f e r e n t 
l a w e n f o r c e m e n t 
a u t h o r i t i e s a r e 
i n v o l v e d i n t h e s e c o n d 
i n v e s t i g a t i o n , t h e same n e e d 
t o 
d e t e r m i n e 
w h e t h e r 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
h a s 
r e q u e s t e d 
c o u n s e l e x i s t s . 
The p o l i c e d e p a r t m e n t ' s 
f a i l u r e t o 
h o n o r 
t h a t r e q u e s t c a n n o t be j u s t i f i e d by t h e l a c k 
o f d i l i g e n c e o f a p a r t i c u l a r 
o f f i c e r . " 
R o b e r s o n , 486 U.S. a t 687-88 
( f o o t n o t e o m i t t e d ) . 
I n N o r t h 
C a r o l i n a v. B u t l e r , 
441 U.S. 369 
( 1 9 7 9 ) , t h e 
Supreme C o u r t q u o t e d M i r a n d a : " ' W i t h o u t p r o p e r s a f e g u a r d s t h e 
p r o c e s s o f i n - c u s t o d y i n t e r r o g a t i o n o f p e r s o n s 
s u s p e c t e d o r 
a c c u s e d 
o f c r i m e 
c o n t a i n s 
i n h e r e n t l y 
c o m p e l l i n g p r e s s u r e s 
w h i c h work t o u n d e r m i n e t h e i n d i v i d u a l ' s w i l l t o r e s i s t and t o 
c o m p e l 
h i m t o s p e a k 
where 
he 
w o u l d 
n o t o t h e r w i s e do so 
f r e e l y . ' " 
441 U.S. a t 374 ( q u o t i n g M i r a n d a , 384 U.S. a t 
4 6 7 ) . 
However, t h e B u t l e r C o u r t h e l d t h a t M i r a n d a d o e s n o t r e q u i r e 
an e x p r e s s w a i v e r o f t h e r i g h t t o c o u n s e l . 
B u t l e r h a d made a 
s t a t e m e n t t h a t he w a n t e d t o t a l k w i t h p o l i c e b u t t h a t he w o u l d 
n o t s i g n a n y t h i n g . 
He t h e n i m p l i c a t e d h i m s e l f . 
The Supreme 
16 
1071410 
C o u r t 
h e l d 
t h a t 
B u t l e r ' s 
i n c u l p a t o r y s t a t e m e n t s made 
d u r i n g 
h i s 
c u s t o d i a l 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
w i t h o u t 
c o u n s e l 
were 
n o t 
i n a d m i s s i b l e 
s i m p l y 
b e c a u s e 
o f t h e a b s e n c e o f an 
e x p r e s s 
w a i v e r o f t h e r i g h t t o 
c o u n s e l . 
"An e x p r e s s w r i t t e n o r o r a l s t a t e m e n t o f w a i v e r 
o f t h e r i g h t t o r e m a i n 
s i l e n t o r o f t h e r i g h t t o 
c o u n s e l 
i s u s u a l l y s t r o n g 
p r o o f o f t h e v a l i d i t y o f 
t h a t 
w a i v e r 
The c o u r t s 
must p r e s u m e 
t h a t a 
d e f e n d a n t 
d i d 
n o t 
w a i v e 
h i s 
r i g h t s ; 
t h e 
p r o s e c u t i o n ' s 
b u r d e n i s g r e a t ; b u t i n a t l e a s t some 
c a s e s 
w a i v e r 
c a n be 
c l e a r l y 
i n f e r r e d 
f r o m t h e 
a c t i o n s and w o r d s o f t h e p e r s o n 
i n t e r r o g a t e d . " 
441 U.S. a t 3 7 3 . 
I n 
S m i t h v. 
I l l i n o i s , 
4 
69 U.S. 91 
(1 9 8 4 ) , 
t h e Supreme 
C o u r t s t a t e d t h a t t h e r u l e i n 
E d w a r d s i n v o l v e s two i n d e p e n d e n t 
i n q u i r i e s : 
" F i r s t , 
c o u r t s 
must d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r t h e a c c u s e d 
a c t u a l l y i n v o k e d h i s r i g h t t o c o u n s e l . 
... 
S e c o n d , 
i f t h e a c c u s e d i n v o k e d h i s r i g h t t o c o u n s e l , 
c o u r t s 
may a d m i t h i s r e s p o n s e s t o f u r t h e r q u e s t i o n i n g 
o n l y 
on 
a 
f i n d i n g 
t h a t 
he 
(a) 
i n i t i a t e d 
f u r t h e r 
d i s c u s s i o n s 
w i t h t h e p o l i c e , and (b) k n o w i n g l y and 
i n t e l l i g e n t l y w a i v e d t h e r i g h t he h a d i n v o k e d . " 
469 U.S. a t 95. 
The S m i t h C o u r t 
f u r t h e r 
s t a t e d : " I n t h e 
a b s e n c e o f s u c h a b r i g h t - l i n e p r o h i b i t i o n , t h e a u t h o r i t i e s 
t h r o u g h ' b a d g e r [ i n g ] ' o r ' o v e r r e a c h i n g ' 
-- e x p l i c i t o r s u b t l e , 
d e l i b e r a t e o r u n i n t e n t i o n a l -- m i g h t o t h e r w i s e wear down t h e 
a c c u s e d o r p e r s u a d e h i m t o i n c r i m i n a t e h i m s e l f 
n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g 
17 
1071410 
h i s 
e a r l i e r 
r e q u e s t f o r c o u n s e l ' s a s s i s t a n c e . " 
469 U.S. 
a t 
98. 
I n S m i t h , t h e p o l i c e 
r e a d S m i t h h i s M i r a n d a 
r i g h t s 
and 
a s k e d 
i f he 
u n d e r s t o o d 
h i s 
r i g h t 
t o h a v e 
c o u n s e l 
p r e s e n t 
d u r i n g t h e 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n . 
S m i t h r e s p o n d e d , 
"Uh, 
y e a h . 
I ' d 
l i k e 
t o do 
t h a t . " 
469 
U.S. 
a t 93. 
The 
p o l i c e 
o f f i c e r 
t h e n 
f i n i s h e d r e a d i n g S m i t h h i s r i g h t s and a s k e d i f S m i t h w a n t e d t o 
t a l k t o t h e o f f i c e r w i t h o u t a l a w y e r p r e s e n t , t o w h i c h 
S m i t h 
a n s w e r e d , 
"Yeah and no, uh, I d o n ' t know w h a t ' s what 
r e a l l y . " 
I d . 
S m i t h t h e n a g r e e d t o t a l k t o t h e p o l i c e ; he 
u l t i m a t e l y 
c o n f e s s e d . 
A f t e r more q u e s t i o n i n g , 
S m i t h 
i n s i s t e d 
t h a t 
he 
w a n t e d t o s p e a k 
t o a l a w y e r , and 
t h e 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
c e a s e d . 
The 
Supreme 
C o u r t 
h e l d 
t h a t 
S m i t h ' s 
s t a t e m e n t s 
were 
i n a d m i s s i b l e . 
L a t e r , 
i n M i n n i c k v. 
M i s s i s s i p p i , 
498 
U.S. 
146 
(1 9 9 0 ) , 
t h e Supreme C o u r t a d d r e s s e d w h e t h e r 
t h e r u l e i n E d w a r d s w o u l d 
r e q u i r e s u p p r e s s i o n o f a c o n f e s s i o n when t h e p o l i c e o b t a i n e d 
t h e c o n f e s s i o n d u r i n g an i n t e r r o g a t i o n t h a t o c c u r r e d a f t e r t h e 
a c c u s e d 
had 
r e q u e s t e d c o u n s e l b u t 
w i t h o u t c o u n s e l p r e s e n t . 
M i n n i c k had e s c a p e d f r o m 
j a i l and m u r d e r e d two p e o p l e . 
He 
was 
e v e n t u a l l y 
a p p r e h e n d e d 
and 
t h e n 
q u e s t i o n e d 
by 
f e d e r a l 
o f f i c e r s . 
The 
q u e s t i o n i n g c e a s e d 
when 
M i n n i c k 
r e q u e s t e d 
18 
1071410 
c o u n s e l . 
However, a f t e r M i n n i c k h a d c o n f e r r e d w i t h c o u n s e l , 
t h e q u e s t i o n i n g r e s u m e d , w i t h o u t c o u n s e l p r e s e n t , a n d M i n n i c k 
c o n f e s s e d . 
M i n n i c k 
c h a l l e n g e d 
t h e 
a d m i s s i o n 
o f 
t h e 
i n c r i m i n a t i n g s t a t e m e n t he h a d made t o p o l i c e 
a f t e r 
s p e a k i n g 
w i t h h i s l a w y e r b e c a u s e , he a r g u e d , he h a d n e v e r 
w a i v e d h i s 
M i r a n d a 
r i g h t s . 
The Supreme C o u r t 
h e l d t h a t any c o n f e s s i o n 
g i v e n i n 
r e s p o n s e t o p o l i c e i n t e r r o g a t i o n o u t s i d e t h e p r e s e n c e 
o f 
c o u n s e l , 
once 
c o u n s e l 
h a s b e e n 
r e q u e s t e d , 
may n o t be 
a d m i t t e d a t t r i a l u n l e s s t h e d e f e n d a n t h i m s e l f h a d r e i n i t i a t e d 
t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h 
p o l i c e . 
"Edwards i s ' d e s i g n e d 
t o p r e v e n t 
p o l i c e 
f r o m 
b a d g e r i n g 
a d e f e n d a n t 
i n t o 
w a i v i n g h i s 
p r e v i o u s l y 
a s s e r t e d M i r a n d a 
r i g h t s . ' 
M i c h i g a n v . H a r v e y , 494 
U.S. 344, 350 
(1 
9 9 0 ) . See a l s o S m i t h v . 
I l l i n o i s , 
469 U.S. 91, 98 ( 1 9 8 4 ) . 
The r u l e e n s u r e s 
t h a t any 
s t a t e m e n t 
made i n s u b s e q u e n t 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n i s 
n o t 
t h e r e s u l t o f c o e r c i v e p r e s s u r e s . E d w a r d s 
c o n s e r v e s 
j u d i c i a l r e s o u r c e s w h i c h w o u l d o t h e r w i s e be e x p e n d e d 
i n m a k i n g d i f f i c u l t d e t e r m i n a t i o n s o f v o l u n t a r i n e s s , 
and 
i m p l e m e n t s 
t h e 
p r o t e c t i o n s 
o f 
M i r a n d a 
i n 
p r a c t i c a l a n d s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d t e r m s . 
"The 
m e r i t o f t h e E d w a r d s d e c i s i o n 
l i e s i n 
t h e 
c l a r i t y 
o f i t s 
command a n d t h e c e r t a i n t y 
o f i t s 
a p p l i c a t i o n . We h a v e c o n f i r m e d t h a t t h e 
E d w a r d s 
r u l e 
p r o v i d e s 
' " c l e a r a n d u n e q u i v o c a l " g u i d e l i n e s t o 
t h e 
l a w 
e n f o r c e m e n t 
p r o f e s s i o n . ' A r i z o n a v. R o b e r s o n , 
486 U.S. 675, 682 ( 1 9 8 8 ) . C f . Moran v. B u r b i n e , 475 
U.S. 412, 425-426 
( 1 9 8 6 ) . E v e n b e f o r e E d w a r d s , we 
n o t e d 
t h a t M i r a n d a ' s 
' r e l a t i v e l y 
r i g i d 
r e q u i r e m e n t 
t h a t 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
must 
c e a s e 
upon t h e 
a c c u s e d ' s 
r e q u e s t 
f o r an 
a t t o r n e y 
... h a s t h e v i r t u e 
o f 
19 
1071410 
i n f o r m i n g p o l i c e and p r o s e c u t o r s w i t h s p e c i f i c i t y as 
t o 
what 
t h e y 
may 
do 
i n 
c o n d u c t i n g 
c u s t o d i a l 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n , 
and o f i n f o r m i n g 
c o u r t s 
u n d e r what 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
s t a t e m e n t s 
o b t a i n e d 
d u r i n g 
s u c h 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
a r e n o t a d m i s s i b l e . 
T h i s 
g a i n i n 
s p e c i f i c i t y , 
w h i c h 
b e n e f i t s 
t h e a c c u s e d 
and t h e 
S t a t e 
a l i k e , 
h a s b e e n 
t h o u g h t 
t o 
o u t w e i g h 
t h e 
b u r d e n s t h a t t h e d e c i s i o n i n M i r a n d a i m p o s e s on l a w 
e n f o r c e m e n t a g e n c i e s a n d t h e c o u r t s b y r e q u i r i n g t h e 
s u p p r e s s i o n 
o f 
t r u s t w o r t h y 
and 
h i g h l y 
p r o b a t i v e 
e v i d e n c e 
e v e n 
t h o u g h 
t h e 
c o n f e s s i o n 
m i g h t 
be 
v o l u n t a r y 
u n d e r 
t r a d i t i o n a l 
F i f t h 
Amendment 
a n a l y s i s . ' 
F a r e v . M i c h a e l C., 442 U.S. 707 
, 718 
( 1 9 7 9 ) . 
T h i s p r e - E d w a r d s e x p l a n a t i o n a p p l i e s as w e l l 
t o E d w a r d s and i t s p r o g e n y . 
A r i z o n a v. R o b e r s o n , 
s u p r a , 486 U.S., a t 6 8 1 - 6 8 2 . " 
498 U.S. a t 1 5 0 - 5 1 . 
The Supreme C o u r t went on t o s t a t e 
t h a t 
i t 
d e c l i n e d t o remove an a c c u s e d ' s 
p r o t e c t i o n f r o m 
p o l i c e -
i n i t i a t e d 
q u e s t i o n i n g 
b a s e d 
on 
t h e 
a c c u s e d ' s 
i s o l a t e d 
c o n s u l t a t i o n s 
w i t h 
c o u n s e l , 
who 
i s 
a b s e n t 
when 
t h e 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n r e s u m e s . 
To t h a t e n d , t h e Supreme C o u r t s t a t e d : 
"The 
e x c e p t i o n 
t o E d w a r d s 
h e r e 
p r o p o s e d i s 
i n c o n s i s t e n t 
w i t h E d w a r d s ' p u r p o s e t o p r o t e c t t h e 
s u s p e c t ' s 
r i g h t t o have c o u n s e l p r e s e n t a t c u s t o d i a l 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n . 
I t i s i n c o n s i s t e n t as w e l l 
w i t h 
M i r a n d a , where we s p e c i f i c a l l y r e j e c t e d r e s p o n d e n t ' s 
t h e o r y 
t h a t t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o c o n s u l t 
w i t h 
one's 
a t t o r n e y 
w o u l d 
s u b s t a n t i a l l y 
c o u n t e r a c t 
t h e 
c o m p u l s i o n c r e a t e d b y c u s t o d i a l i n t e r r o g a t i o n . 
We 
n o t e d 
i n M i r a n d a 
t h a t 
' [ e ] v e n 
p r e l i m i n a r y 
a d v i c e 
g i v e n 
t o t h e a c c u s e d by h i s own 
a t t o r n e y 
c a n be 
s w i f t l y 
o v e r c o m e 
by 
t h e 
s e c r e t 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
p r o c e s s . 
Thus t h e n e e d f o r c o u n s e l 
t o p r o t e c t t h e 
F i f t h Amendment p r i v i l e g e c o m p r e h e n d s n o t m e r e l y a 
r i g h t t o c o n s u l t w i t h c o u n s e l 
p r i o r t o q u e s t i o n i n g , 
b u t 
a l s o 
t o 
h a v e 
c o u n s e l 
p r e s e n t 
d u r i n g 
any 
20 
1071410 
q u e s t i o n i n g i f t h e d e f e n d a n t so d e s i r e s . ' 
384 
U.S., 
a t 470 
( c i t a t i o n 
o m i t t e d ) . 
"The 
e x c e p t i o n 
p r o p o s e d , 
f u r t h e r m o r e , 
w o u l d 
u n d e r m i n e 
t h e 
a d v a n t a g e s 
f l o w i n g 
f r o m 
E d w a r d s ' 
' c l e a r 
and 
u n e q u i v o c a l ' 
c h a r a c t e r . 
R e s p o n d e n t 
c o n c e d e s t h a t e v e n a f t e r c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h 
c o u n s e l , 
a s e c o n d 
r e q u e s t 
f o r c o u n s e l 
s h o u l d 
r e i n s t a t e 
t h e 
E d w a r d s 
p r o t e c t i o n . 
We 
a r e 
i n v i t e d 
by 
t h i s 
f o r m u l a t i o n 
t o 
a d o p t 
a 
r e g i m e 
i n w h i c h 
E d w a r d s ' 
p r o t e c t i o n 
c o u l d 
p a s s 
i n 
and 
o u t 
o f 
e x i s t e n c e 
m u l t i p l e t i m e s 
p r i o r t o a r r a i g n m e n t , 
a t w h i c h 
p o i n t 
t h e same p r o t e c t i o n m i g h t r e a t t a c h by v i r t u e o f 
o u r 
S i x t h 
Amendment 
j u r i s p r u d e n c e , 
see 
M i c h i g a n 
v. 
J a c k s o n , 
475 
U.S. 
625 
( 1 9 8 6 ) . 
V a g a r i e s 
o f t h i s 
s o r t 
s p r e a d 
c o n f u s i o n t h r o u g h t h e j u s t i c e s y s t e m and 
l e a d 
t o 
a c o n s e q u e n t l o s s o f r e s p e c t 
f o r t h e 
u n d e r l y i n g 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l 
p r i n c i p l e . 
" I n a d d i t i o n , a d o p t i n g 
t h e 
r u l e p r o p o s e d w o u l d 
l e a v e 
f a r 
f r o m 
c e r t a i n 
t h e 
s o r t 
o f 
c o n s u l t a t i o n 
r e q u i r e d 
t o d i s p l a c e E d w a r d s . 
C o n s u l t a t i o n 
i s 
n o t 
a p r e c i s e c o n c e p t , 
f o r i t may 
encompass v a r i a t i o n s 
f r o m a t e l e p h o n e 
c a l l t o s a y t h a t t h e a t t o r n e y i s en 
r o u t e , t o a h u r r i e d i n t e r c h a n g e b e t w e e n t h e 
a t t o r n e y 
and 
c l i e n t 
i n a d e t e n t i o n 
f a c i l i t y 
c o r r i d o r , t o 
a 
l e n g t h y 
i n - p e r s o n 
c o n f e r e n c e 
i n w h i c h t h e 
a t t o r n e y 
g i v e s 
f u l l 
and 
a d e q u a t e 
a d v i c e 
r e s p e c t i n g 
a l l 
m a t t e r s 
t h a t 
m i g h t 
be 
c o v e r e d 
i n 
f u r t h e r 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n s . 
And 
e v e n w i t h 
t h e 
n e c e s s a r y 
s c o p e 
o f c o n s u l t a t i o n s e t t l e d , 
t h e 
o f f i c i a l s 
i n c h a r g e 
o f 
t h e c a s e w o u l d have t o c o n f i r m 
t h e 
o c c u r r e n c e 
and, 
p o s s i b l y , 
t h e 
e x t e n t 
o f 
c o n s u l t a t i o n t o 
d e t e r m i n e 
w h e t h e r f u r t h e r i n t e r r o g a t i o n i s p e r m i s s i b l e . 
The 
n e c e s s a r y 
i n q u i r i e s 
c o u l d 
i n t e r f e r e 
w i t h 
t h e 
a t t o r n e y - c l i e n t 
p r i v i l e g e . 
"Added t o t h e s e 
d i f f i c u l t i e s 
i n d e f i n i t i o n 
and 
a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e p r o p o s e d r u l e i s o u r c o n c e r n o v e r 
i t s 
c o n s e q u e n c e 
t h a t 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
whose 
c o u n s e l 
i s 
p r o m p t w o u l d l o s e t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f E d w a r d s , 
w h i l e 
t h e one whose c o u n s e l 
i s d i l a t o r y w o u l d n o t . 
T h e r e 
21 
1071410 
i s more t h a n i r o n y t o t h i s r e s u l t . T h e r e i s a 
s t r o n g 
p o s s i b i l i t y 
t h a t 
i t 
w o u l d 
d i s t o r t 
t h e 
p r o p e r 
c o n c e p t i o n 
o f t h e 
a t t o r n e y ' s 
d u t y t o t h e 
c l i e n t 
and 
s e t 
us 
on 
a c o u r s e 
a t odds w i t h what o u g h t 
t o 
be 
e f f e c t i v e 
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n . 
" B o t h w a i v e r 
o f 
r i g h t s and 
a d m i s s i o n 
o f 
g u i l t 
a r e 
c o n s i s t e n t 
w i t h 
t h e 
a f f i r m a t i o n 
o f 
i n d i v i d u a l 
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y 
t h a t 
i s a p r i n c i p l e o f 
t h e 
c r i m i n a l 
j u s t i c e 
s y s t e m . 
I t 
d o e s 
n o t 
d e t r a c t 
f r o m 
t h i s 
p r i n c i p l e , 
h o w e v e r , 
t o 
i n s i s t 
t h a t 
n e i t h e r 
a d m i s s i o n s 
n o r 
w a i v e r s 
a r e 
e f f e c t i v e u n l e s s 
t h e r e 
a r e b o t h p a r t i c u l a r and 
s y s t e m i c 
a s s u r a n c e s t h a t 
t h e 
c o e r c i v e 
p r e s s u r e s 
o f c u s t o d y were n o t 
t h e 
i n d u c i n g 
c a u s e . 
The 
E d w a r d s 
r u l e 
s e t s 
f o r t h 
a 
s p e c i f i c 
s t a n d a r d 
t o 
f u l f i l l 
t h e s e 
p u r p o s e s , 
and 
we 
h a v e 
d e c l i n e d 
t o 
c o n f i n e 
i t 
i n 
o t h e r 
i n s t a n c e s . 
See 
A r i z o n a 
v. R o b e r s o n , 486 
U.S. 
675 
( 1 9 8 8 ) . 
I t w o u l d 
d e t r a c t f r o m t h e e f f i c a c y o f t h e 
r u l e t o remove i t s 
p r o t e c t i o n s b a s e d on 
c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h 
c o u n s e l . " 
498 
U.S. 
a t 154-56. 
I n 
D a v i s 
v. 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s , 
512 
U.S. 
452 
(1 994 ), 
t h e 
Supreme C o u r t 
c o n c l u d e d 
t h a t 
t h e 
r u l e 
i n E d w a r d s does 
n o t 
a p p l y when a s u s p e c t 
f a i l s t o u n a m b i g u o u s l y a s k 
f o r a l a w y e r . 
The 
E d w a r d s 
r u l e 
" ' i s 
d e s i g n e d 
t o 
p r e v e n t 
p o l i c e 
f r o m 
b a d g e r i n g 
a d e f e n d a n t 
i n t o w a i v i n g 
h i s 
p r e v i o u s l y 
a s s e r t e d 
M i r a n d a r i g h t s . ' " 512 
U.S. 
a t 458 
( q u o t i n g M i c h i g a n v. H a r v e y , 
494 
U.S. 
344, 
350 
( 1 9 9 0 ) ) . 
The 
D a v i s C o u r t 
s t a t e d : 
"To 
r e c a p i t u l a t e : We 
h e l d 
i n M i r a n d a 
t h a t 
a 
s u s p e c t 
i s 
e n t i t l e d 
t o 
t h e 
a s s i s t a n c e 
o f 
c o u n s e l 
d u r i n g 
c u s t o d i a l 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
e v e n 
t h o u g h 
t h e 
C o n s t i t u t i o n does n o t 
p r o v i d e 
f o r s u c h 
a s s i s t a n c e . 
We 
h e l d 
i n E d w a r d s t h a t 
i f t h e 
s u s p e c t i n v o k e s 
t h e 
22 
1071410 
r i g h t 
t o 
c o u n s e l 
a t 
any 
t i m e , 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
must 
i m m e d i a t e l y 
c e a s e q u e s t i o n i n g h i m 
u n t i l an 
a t t o r n e y 
i s p r e s e n t . 
B u t we 
a r e u n w i l l i n g t o c r e a t e a 
t h i r d 
l a y e r 
o f p r o p h y l a x i s t o p r e v e n t 
p o l i c e 
q u e s t i o n i n g 
when t h e 
s u s p e c t 
m i g h t want a l a w y e r . 
U n l e s s 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
a c t u a l l y 
r e q u e s t s 
an 
a t t o r n e y , 
q u e s t i o n i n g 
may 
c o n t i n u e . " 
512 
U.S. 
a t 
462. 
J u r i s p r u d e n c e f r o m o t h e r 
j u r i s d i c t i o n s 
a d d r e s s i n g 
e f f e c t 
o f 
a t h i r d p a r t y ' s 
i n i t i a t i o n , 
on b e h a l f o f an a c c u s e d , 
o f 
 
f u r t h e r c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h t h e p o l i c e 
a f t e r t h e a c c u s e d 
has 
 
i n v o k e d h i s F i f t h Amendment r i g h t t o have c o u n s e l 
p r e s e n t 
d u r i n g 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
A l t h o u g h 
t h e Supreme C o u r t 
has 
n o t 
a d d r e s s e d 
w h e t h e r 
a 
t h i r d 
p a r t y , 
on 
b e h a l f 
o f 
t h e 
a c c u s e d , 
may 
i n i t i a t e 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h t h e p o l i c e a f t e r t h e a c c u s e d has 
r e q u e s t e d 
c o u n s e l , o t h e r c o u r t s h a v e . 
See, 
e.g., 
Van Hook v. A n d e r s o n , 
488 
F.3d 
411 
( 6 t h C i r . 2 0 0 7 ) ( h o l d i n g 
t h a t a s u s p e c t 
who 
has 
i n v o k e d 
h i s 
r i g h t 
t o 
c o u n s e l 
c a n 
i n d i r e c t l y 
i n i t i a t e 
d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h t h e p o l i c e t h r o u g h 
a t h i r d p a r t y so l o n g 
as 
t h e 
i m p e t u s 
f o r t h e 
r e i n i t i a t i o n 
comes 
f r o m 
t h e 
s u s p e c t ) ; 
Owens v. 
B o w e r s o x , 
2 
90 
F.3d 
960 
( 8 t h C i r . 2 
0 
0 
2 ) ( h o l d i n g 
t h a t , 
a l t h o u g h 
d e f e n d a n t 
had 
r e q u e s t e d 
c o u n s e l , 
d e f e n d a n t 
i n i t i a t e d 
c o n t a c t 
w i t h 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
b e c a u s e 
t h e 
i m p e t u s 
f o r 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
came 
f r o m 
d e f e n d a n t 
t h r o u g h 
h i s m o t h e r 
e v e n 
t h o u g h d e f e n d a n t d i d n o t 
c o n t a c t t h e 
p o l i c e 
h i m s e l f and 
d i d 
23 
1071410 
n o t a s k h i s m o t h e r t o have p o l i c e come t o t h e j a i l ) ; 
U n i t e d 
 
S t a t e s v. M i c h a u d , 268 F.3d 728 ( 9 t h 
C i r . 2 
0 
0 1 ) ( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
p o l i c e h a d t h e r i g h t t o a s k i f 
t h e a c c u s e d was 
r e i n i t i a t i n g 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n 
a f t e r 
r e q u e s t i n g 
c o u n s e l 
where t h e a c c u s e d ' s 
c e l l - m a t e t o l d a d e p u t y t h e a c c u s e d w a n t e d t o t a l k ) ; W h i t e h e a d  
v. 
Cowan, 
263 
F.3d 
708 
( 7 t h C i r . 2 
0 0 1 ) ( i n c r i m i n a t i n g 
s t a t e m e n t s made b y d e f e n d a n t a f t e r he was p e r s u a d e d t o t a l k t o 
p o l i c e by an a c q u a i n t a n c e 
who h a d v i s i t e d 
d e f e n d a n t i n 
j a i l 
a f t e r d e f e n d a n t h a d r e q u e s t e d 
c o u n s e l were t h e n o t f u n c t i o n a l 
e q u i v a l e n t o f a p o l i c e 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n ) ; Holman v . Kemna, 212 
F.3d 
413 
( 8 t h C i r . 2 0 0 0 ) ( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
d e f e n d a n t 
i n i t i a t e d 
c o n t a c t 
w i t h t h e p o l i c e b y a s k i n g h i s s t e p f a t h e r t o have a 
d e p u t y come t o t h e p r i s o n t o t a k e h i s c o n f e s s i o n ) ; 
U n i t e d 
 
S t a t e s v. G o n z a l e z , 183 F.3d 1315 ( 1 1 t h 
C i r . 1 9 9 9 ) , 
o v e r r u l e d 
on o t h e r g r o u n d s , U n i t e d 
S t a t e s v . D i a z , 248 F.3d 1056 ( 1 1 t h 
C i r . 
2 0 0 1 ) ( h o l d i n g 
t h a t d e f e n d a n t 
i n i t i a t e d 
c o n t a c t w i t h t h e 
p o l i c e t h r o u g h h i s 
w i f e f o l l o w i n g h i s i n v o c a t i o n o f h i s r i g h t 
t o 
c o u n s e l ) ; 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s v. R o d r i g u e z , 
993 F.2d 1170 ( 5 t h 
C i r . 
1 9 9 3 ) ( h o l d i n g 
t h a t s t a t e m e n t s were i n a d m i s s i b l e when F B I 
a g e n t 
r e i n t e r r o g a t e d d e f e n d a n t 
a f t e r 
he 
r e q u e s t e d 
c o u n s e l 
b a s e d 
on 
c o d e f e n d a n t ' s 
v a g u e 
s t a t e m e n t 
t h a t 
t h e 
o t h e r 
24 
1071410 
d e f e n d a n t s w a n t e d t o t a l k w i t h t h e p o l i c e ) ; U n i t e d S t a t e s v .  
Gaddy, 894 F.2d 1307 ( 1 1 t h 
C i r . 19 
9 
0 ) ( h o l d i n g t h a t t h e a c c u s e d 
i n i t i a t e d 
c o n t a c t 
w i t h 
t h e p o l i c e 
t h r o u g h 
an 
a u n t ) ; a n d 
H a r v e l l v . S t a t e , 275 Ga. 129, 562 S.E.2d 180 ( 2 0 0 2 ) ( h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
p o l i c e 
d i d n o t i m p r o p e r l y 
r e i n i t i a t e 
q u e s t i o n i n g o f 
d e f e n d a n t where d e f e n d a n t ' s m o t h e r 
t o l d t h e p o l i c e 
t h a t h e r 
son was w i l l i n g t o make a s t a t e m e n t a n d d e f e n d a n t 
v e r i f i e d 
t h a t he 
w a s ) . 
One c a s e i n p a r t i c u l a r w a r r a n t s a d e t a i l e d 
d i s c u s s i o n . 
I n Van Hook v . A n d e r s o n , s u p r a , Van Hook went t o a b a r i n O h i o 
p a t r o n i z e d by h o m o s e x u a l men. 
He met t h e v i c t i m , D a v i d 
S e l f , 
a t t h e b a r , a n d t h e two went t o S e l f ' s a p a r t m e n t . 
S e l f made 
s e x u a l a d v a n c e s t o Van Hook, a n d Van Hook s t r a n g l e d 
S e l f t o 
u n c o n s c i o u s n e s s . 
Van Hook t h e n s t a b b e d S e l f a n d k i l l e d h i m . 
Van Hook 
a l s o 
s t o l e 
i t e m s f r o m 
S e l f ' s 
a p a r t m e n t . 
Van Hook 
made h i s way t o F l o r i d a , w h e r e he was a r r e s t e d two months 
l a t e r 
b y 
l o c a l 
p o l i c e . 
The p o l i c e 
r e a d h i m h i s M i r a n d a 
r i g h t s . 
A l t h o u g h he i n i t i a l l y a g r e e d t o t a l k w i t h p o l i c e , Van 
Hook 
l a t e r 
t o l d p o l i c e , 
" [ M ] a y b e 
I s h o u l d h a v e an 
a t t o r n e y 
p r e s e n t . " 
488 F.3d a t 414. The o f f i c e r s u n d e r s t o o d t h i s t o 
be a r e q u e s t f o r c o u n s e l a n d c e a s e d 
q u e s t i o n i n g h i m a b o u t 
25 
1071410 
S e l f ' s m u r d e r . 
L a t e r t h a t day, 
an O h i o p o l i c e o f f i c e r came t o 
F l o r i d a 
t o 
f a c i l i t a t e 
Van 
Hook's 
e x t r a d i t i o n 
and 
t r a n s p o r t a t i o n 
b a c k 
t o 
O h i o . 
Van 
Hook 
had 
n o t 
y e t 
b e e n 
p r o v i d e d 
w i t h c o u n s e l . 
A f t e r t a l k i n g w i t h Van Hook's m o t h e r , 
t h e O h i o o f f i c e r b e l i e v e d t h a t Van Hook m i g h t want t o t a l k 
t o 
p o l i c e a b o u t t h e m u r d e r . 
A t t h i s p o i n t , c o u n s e l 
had n o t y e t b e e n a p p o i n t e d 
f o r 
Van 
Hook. 
Upon 
f i r s t 
e n g a g i n g Van 
Hook, t h e 
o f f i c e r 
d i s c u s s e d 
e x t r a d i t i o n w i t h Van Hook and 
c o n f i r m e d 
t h a t Van Hook w a n t e d 
t o w a i v e e x t r a d i t i o n . 
The 
o f f i c e r 
t o l d Van Hook t h a t he 
had 
t a l k e d 
t o Van 
Hook's m o t h e r and 
t h a t 
she 
h a d 
s a i d t h a t 
Van 
Hook w a n t e d t o s p e a k w i t h t h e p o l i c e . 
Van Hook s t a t e d t h a t 
he 
had 
t a l k e d t o h i s m o t h e r and 
t h a t she w a n t e d h i m 
t o 
t e l l 
t h e 
t r u t h 
and 
t h a t he w a n t e d t o make a s t a t e m e n t . 
Van 
Hook 
was 
a g a i n 
r e a d 
h i s M i r a n d a 
r i g h t s , 
and 
he w a i v e d them, g i v i n g a 
f u l l and g r a p h i c c o n f e s s i o n . 
Van Hook was 
c h a r g e d w i t h m u r d e r 
and 
a g g r a v a t e d 
r o b b e r y . 
The 
O h i o 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
a d m i t t e d 
h i s 
c o n f e s s i o n , 
and 
Van Hook was 
c o n v i c t e d . 
On 
a p p e a l , 
t h e 
O h i o 
Supreme C o u r t a f f i r m e d h i s c o n v i c t i o n , and 
t h e U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
Supreme C o u r t 
d e n i e d 
c e r t i o r a r i 
r e v i e w . 
Van 
Hook 
f i l e d 
a 
p e t i t i o n 
f o r a w r i t o f h a b e a s c o r p u s i n t h e 
f e d e r a l 
d i s t r i c t 
26 
1071410 
c o u r t 
and 
was 
u n s u c c e s s f u l . 
A 
p a n e l 
o f 
t h e 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
C o u r t o f A p p e a l s f o r t h e 
S i x t h C i r c u i t 
r e v e r s e d 
t h e 
d i s t r i c t 
c o u r t ' s 
d e c i s i o n , h o l d i n g 
t h a t 
t h e 
F i f t h Amendment d o e s 
n o t 
a l l o w 
a 
s u s p e c t 
t o 
i n i t i a t e 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s 
w i t h 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
t h r o u g h 
a 
t h i r d 
p a r t y . 
On 
r e h e a r i n g 
en 
b a n c , 
t h e 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
C o u r t 
o f A p p e a l s 
f o r 
t h e 
S i x t h 
C i r c u i t 
v a c a t e d 
t h e 
p a n e l ' s h o l d i n g 
and 
i n an 
8-7 
d e c i s i o n a f f i r m e d t h e 
d i s t r i c t 
c o u r t ' s 
d e c i s i o n . 
The e i g h t - m e m b e r m a j o r i t y o p i n i o n 
i n Van Hook u l t i m a t e l y 
h e l d t h a t a s u s p e c t 
may 
i n i t i a t e f u r t h e r d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h 
t h e 
p o l i c e t h r o u g h a t h i r d p a r t y w i t h o u t 
v i o l a t i n g E d w a r d s . 
" G i v e n t h e 
r e a l i t i e s 
o f t h e c u s t o d i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p , 
i t 
i s 
i n e v i t a b l e t h a t 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
w i l l 
s o m e t i m e s 
r e c e i v e i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m a s u s p e c t 
o r a t h i r d 
p a r t y 
w h i c h m i g h t 
e v i n c e 
a w i l l i n g n e s s 
and 
a 
d e s i r e 
t o 
t a l k by 
t h e 
s u s p e c t . 
... 
I n t h i s t y p e o f 
s i t u a t i o n , 
t h e 
p o l i c e may 
' i n q u i r e w h e t h e r [ t h e 
s u s p e c t ] 
was 
r e - i n i t i a t i n g 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n . ' 
[ U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
v.] 
 
M i c h a u d , 
268 
F.3d 
[728] 
735-36 
[ ( 9 t h C i r . 
2 0 0 1 ) ] . " 
488 
F.3d 
a t 
428. 
Van 
Hook 
had 
a r g u e d 
t h a t 
u n d e r 
E d w a r d s 
t h e 
a c c u s e d 
" h i m s e l f " 
must 
i n i t i a t e 
d i s c u s s i o n s 
w i t h 
t h e 
p o l i c e . 
Van 
Hook, 
488 
F.3d 
a t 
417. 
The 
m a j o r i t y 
r e j e c t e d Van 
Hook's 
a r g u m e n t , s t a t i n g t h a t " [ t ] h e r e i s no s o u n d j u s t i f i c a t i o n 
f o r 
r e a d i n g 
t h e s t a t e m e n t f r o m E d w a r d s t h a t t h e s u s p e c t 
' h i m s e l f ' 
27 
1071410 
must i n i t i a t e a d i s c u s s i o n t o i m p l y t h e s u s p e c t , and o n l y 
t h e 
s u s p e c t , 
c a n 
i n f o r m t h e 
p o l i c e he w a n t s t o 
t a l k . " 
I d . 
The 
m a j o r i t y r e a s o n e d t h a t t h e i s s u e o f t h i r d - p a r t y c o m m u n i c a t i o n s 
was 
s i m p l y 
n o t 
b e f o r e 
t h e 
U n i t e d 
S t a t e s 
Supreme 
C o u r t 
i n 
E d w a r d s . 
The 
m a j o r i t y i n Van Hook, i n d e t e r m i n i n g how 
t h e E d w a r d s 
r u l e 
a p p l i e d t o 
t h i r d - p a r t y 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s 
w i t h 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
r e g a r d i n g an a c c u s e d ' s d e s i r e t o 
i n i t i a t e 
c o n t a c t , 
a d d r e s s e d 
t h e 
s t a n d a r d 
f o r 
d e t e r m i n i n g 
when 
an 
a c c u s e d 
" i n i t i a t e s " 
d i s c u s s i o n w i t h t h e p o l i c e . 
Q u o t i n g U n i t e d S t a t e s v. W h a l e y , 
13 
F.3d 
963, 
967 
( 6 t h C i r . 1 9 9 4 ) , 
t h e 
c o u r t 
s t a t e d : 
" ' [ A ] n 
E d w a r d s 
i n i t i a t i o n 
o c c u r s 
when, 
w i t h o u t 
i n f l u e n c e by 
t h e 
a u t h o r i t i e s , 
t h e s u s p e c t shows a w i l l i n g n e s s and 
a d e s i r e t o 
t a l k g e n e r a l l y a b o u t h i s c a s e . " 
The Van Hook c o u r t 
d e t e r m i n e d 
t h a t 
t h e r e 
i s " n o t h i n g 
i n h e r e n t 
i n ' s h o w [ i n g ] 
a w i l l i n g n e s s 
and 
a 
d e s i r e ' 
t h a t 
r e s t r i c t s 
i t t o 
d i r e c t 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s 
o n l y . " 
488 F.3d 
a t 418. 
"Whether t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n i s d i r e c t 
o r i n d i r e c t i s i m m a t e r i a l -- what i s i m p o r t a n t 
i s t h e i m p e t u s 
f o r 
d i s c u s s i o n come f r o m t h e s u s p e c t 
h i m s e l f . " 
I d . 
The 
m a j o r i t y 
i n Van 
Hook a c k n o w l e d g e d 
t h e 
p r o t e c t i o n s 
a f f o r d e d by M i r a n d a 
and E d w a r d s and 
t h a t t h e p u r p o s e 
b e h i n d 
28 
1071410 
t h o s e c a s e s was 
t o p r e v e n t " ' g o v e r n m e n t 
o f f i c i a l s 
f r o m 
u s i n g 
t h e c o e r c i v e n a t u r e 
o f c o n f i n e m e n t t o e x t r a c t c o n f e s s i o n s 
t h a t 
w o u l d n o t be g i v e n 
i n an u n r e s t r a i n e d e n v i r o n m e n t . ' " 488 
F.3d 
a t 
420 
( q u o t i n g 
A r i z o n a 
v. 
M a u r o , 
481 
U.S. 
520, 
529-30 
( 1 9 8 7 ) ) . 
The Van Hook c o u r t s t a t e d : "The 
C o n s t i t u t i o n c l e a r l y 
f o r b i d s 
o f f i c i a l s 
f r o m u s i n g 
t h e i r 
'power o f 
t h e 
s w o r d ' 
t o 
c o e r c e a s u s p e c t 
i n t o m a k i n g s e l f - i n c r i m i n a t i n g s t a t e m e n t s ; i t 
p r o v i d e s 
no 
s i m i l a r p r o t e c t i o n a g a i n s t 
t h i r d - p a r t y c a j o l i n g , 
p l e a d i n g , 
o r t h r e a t e n i n g . " 
488 
F.3d 
a t 
421. 
" W i t h 
t h i r d - p a r t y c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
a r e 
s t i l l 
p r o h i b i t e d f r o m r e i n i t i a t i n g q u e s t i o n i n g , 
and 
t h e 
i m p e t u s 
f o r 
r e i n i t i a t i o n must 
s t i l l 
come 
f r o m 
t h e s u s p e c t . 
The 
v i r t u e o f s p e c i f i c a l l y 
i d e n t i f y i n g 
r i g h t s 
and 
d u t i e s 
i s 
p r e s e r v e d : 
' p o l i c e 
and 
p r o s e c u t o r s ' 
s t i l l 
know 
'what 
t h e y 
may 
do 
i n 
c o n d u c t i n g 
c u s t o d i a l i n t e r r o g a t i o n ' u n d e r E d w a r d s 
i n t e r r o g a t e 
a s u s p e c t 
u n l e s s 
and 
u n t i l 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
a s k s 
f o r 
a 
l a w y e r , 
and 
t h e n 
n o t 
i n t e r r o g a t e 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
u n l e s s 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
i n i t i a t e s 
a 
d i s c u s s i o n 
(and 
w a i v e s 
t h e 
r i g h t 
t o 
c o u n s e l ) ; 
and 
' c o u r t s ' 
s t i l l 
know 
'under 
what 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
s t a t e m e n t s 
o b t a i n e d 
d u r i n g 
s u c h 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
a r e 
n o t 
a d m i s s i b l e ' 
-- when t h e d i s c u s s i o n s a r e 
i n i t i a t e d 
by 
p o l i c e . These p l a y e r s must s i m p l y b e a r i n m i n d what 
i s 
g r a s p e d 
by common s e n s e 
and 
what 
has 
b e e n 
t h e 
c o n s i s t e n t 
r u l e 
o f 
t h e 
p o s t - E d w a r d s 
c a s e 
l a w 
i n i t i a t i o n 
can 
be 
c o m m u n i c a t e d 
d i r e c t l y 
by 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
o r i n d i r e c t l y by t h e s u s p e c t 
t h r o u g h a 
t h i r d 
p a r t y . " 
488 
F.3d 
a t 
422. 
29 
1071410 
R e c o g n i z i n g 
t h a t 
w h e t h e r 
a 
s u s p e c t 
has 
r e i n i t i a t e d 
a 
d i s c u s s i o n w i t h p o l i c e c a n 
be 
a 
d i f f i c u l t 
q u e s t i o n , 
t h e 
Van 
Hook 
c o u r t 
e x p l a i n e d 
i t s 
e v a l u a t i o n 
o f 
a 
t h i r d 
p a r t y ' s 
r e i n i t i a t i o n 
o f d i s c u s s i o n on 
t h e 
s u s p e c t ' s 
b e h a l f : 
" W h i l e 
a s u s p e c t ' s 
i n i t i a t i o n m i g h t 
l e a d 
t o 
a 
v a l i d 
w a i v e r 
o f 
t h e 
r i g h t 
t o 
c o u n s e l , 
i t i s 
n o t 
i t s e l f 
s u f f i c i e n t . 
B e f o r e 
t h e 
p o l i c e can 
a c t u a l l y 
b e g i n 
t o 
i n t e r r o g a t e 
a 
s u s p e c t 
a f t e r 
he 
has 
i n i t i a t e d , 
t h e y 
must 
e n s u r e 
t h a t 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
i s 
k n o w i n g l y 
and 
i n t e l l i g e n t l y 
w a i v i n g 
t h e 
r i g h t 
t o 
c o u n s e l u n d e r t h e 
t o t a l i t y o f t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s . 
... 
I t i s 'wrong' t o 
' t h i n k 
[ ] t h a t an 
" i n i t i a t i o n " 
o f 
a c o n v e r s a t i o n 
o r d i s c u s s i o n by 
an a c c u s e d n o t 
o n l y 
s a t i s f i e d 
t h e E d w a r d s 
r u l e , 
b u t 
ex 
p r o p r i o 
v i g o r e 
s u f f i c e d t o show a w a i v e r o f t h e p r e v i o u s l y 
a s s e r t e d 
r i g h t 
t o 
c o u n s e l . 
The 
i n q u i r i e s 
a r e 
s e p a r a t e , 
and 
c l a r i t y o f a p p l i c a t i o n i s n o t g a i n e d 
by m e l d i n g them 
t o g e t h e r . ' 
[ Oregon 
v.] 
B r a d s h a w , 
462 
U.S. 
[1039] 
1045, 
103 
S.Ct. 
2830 
[ ( 1 9 8 3 ) ] 
( p l u r a l i t y ) . 
S i m p l y 
p u t , 
n o t h i n g 
i n 
o u r 
d e c i s i o n 
t o d a y 
p e r m i t s 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
t o 
b e g i n 
i n t e r r o g a t i n g a 
c r i m i n a l 
s u s p e c t 
s i m p l y 
by 
l e a r n i n g 
f r o m 
a 
t h i r d 
p a r t y 
t h a t 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
i s w i l l i n g 
t o w a i v e t h e 
p r e v i o u s l y 
i n v o k e d 
r i g h t t o c o u n s e l . 
Nor 
do we 
h o l d t h a t a t h i r d 
p a r t y 
has 
t h e 
a u t h o r i t y 
t o 
somehow 
' b r i n g [ ] 
a b o u t 
t h e 
w a i v e r 
o f 
t h a t 
r i g h t , ' 
... 
o r 
o t h e r w i s e 
' r e s c i n d [ ] 
t h [ e ] 
r e q u e s t ' 
f o r 
c o u n s e l 
When 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
r e c e i v e 
i n f o r m a t i o n 
t h a t 
a 
s u s p e c t 
w a n t s 
t o 
t a l k ; 
when t h e r e 
i s a 
s u f f i c i e n t 
b a s i s 
f o r b e l i e v i n g i t s 
v a l i d i t y ; 
and 
when 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
c o n f i r m 
w i t h 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
t h e 
v a l i d i t y 
o f 
t h a t 
i n f o r m a t i o n , 
we 
c o n c l u d e t h a t 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
has 
a d e q u a t e l y e v i n c e d 
a 
w i l l i n g n e s s and 
a d e s i r e t o t a l k w i t h them. W h e t h e r 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
k n o w i n g l y and 
i n t e l l i g e n t l y w a i v e s 
h i s 
r i g h t 
t o c o u n s e l 
i s a s e p a r a t e 
q u e s t i o n 
" 
30 
1071410 
488 F.3d a t 4 2 4 - 2 5 . 
The Van Hook c o u r t 
h e l d 
t h a t t h e f a c t s 
s u p p o r t e d a c o n c l u s i o n t h a t Van Hook d i d i n i t i a t e a d i s c u s s i o n 
w i t h 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
and 
t h a t 
t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
was 
c o r r e c t 
i n 
d e n y i n g h a b e a s 
r e l i e f on t h e c l a i m t h a t Van Hook's 
s t a t e m e n t 
s h o u l d 
have b e e n 
s u p p r e s s e d . 
"The 
C o n s t i t u t i o n p r o t e c t s 
a 
s u s p e c t 
f r o m 
o f f i c i a l 
c o e r c i o n 
-- 
i t does 
n o t 
p r o t e c t 
a 
s u s p e c t 
f r o m h i m s e l f o r h i s m o t h e r . " 
488 F.3d a t 428. 
I n h i s d i s s e n t 
i n Van Hook, J u d g e 
C o l e w r o t e t h a t t h e 
m a j o r i t y h a d d e p a r t e d f r o m t h e Supreme C o u r t ' s 
j u r i s p r u d e n c e 
on 
c u s t o d i a l 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n . 
" [ T ] h e 
c o e r c i v e 
s e t t i n g 
o f 
c u s t o d i a l 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n i s ready-made 
f o r t h e 
i n f r i n g e m e n t , 
w h e t h e r 
i n t e n t i o n a l 
o r 
i n a d v e r t e n t , 
o f 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l 
p r o t e c t i o n s , 
s u c h 
t h a t 
s u s p e c t s 
must be 
p l a i n l y 
a d v i s e d 
o f 
t h e i r 
r i g h t s so t h e y may a c t on them." 
488 F.3d a t 430. 
I n 
p a r t i c u l a r , 
he 
n o t e d 
t h a t 
t h r o u g h o u t 
t h e Supreme 
C o u r t ' s 
j u r i s p r u d e n c e 
t h e C o u r t has 
i n s i s t e d 
t h a t t h e " r e l a t i o n s h i p 
b e t w e e n a c r i m i n a l s u s p e c t 
and h i s o f f i c i a l 
i n t e r r o g a t o r be 
g o v e r n e d by 
' b r i g h t - l i n e ' 
r u l e s t h a t p r e c i s e l y s p e l l o u t t h e 
r i g h t s and d u t i e s o f b o t h p a r t i e s . " 
488 F.3d a t 430. 
"To 
h o l d 
as t h e m a j o r i t y 
does 
t o d a y , 
t h a t 
a 
s u s p e c t 
may 
r e - i n i t i a t e 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
t h r o u g h 
a 
t h i r d 
p a r t y , 
c o n t r a v e n e s 
t h e 
r e a s o n i n g 
o f 
t h e 
S u p r e m e 
C o u r t ' s 
c u s t o d i a l - i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
31 
1071410 
j u r i s p r u d e n c e 
by 
i n v i t i n g 
t h e 
v e r y 
u n c e r t a i n t y 
and 
c o m p l e x i t y 
i n t o 
t h e 
c i r c u m s t a n c e s 
s u r r o u n d i n g 
a 
s u s p e c t ' s 
w a i v e r 
o f 
h i s 
r i g h t s 
t h a t 
t h e 
C o u r t 
has 
s o u g h t 
t o 
b a n i s h . 
T h i s 
u n c e r t a i n t y 
and 
c o m p l e x i t y 
e n s n a r e s b o t h 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
and 
t h e 
l a w - e n f o r c e m e n t 
o f f i c e r s 
i n c h a r g e o f h i s 
c a s e . " 
488 
F.3d 
a t 
432. 
J u d g e 
C o l e 
q u e s t i o n e d 
why 
a 
s u s p e c t 
w o u l d 
c o m m u n i c a t e 
i n d i r e c t l y 
w i t h 
t h e 
p o l i c e t h r o u g h 
a 
t h i r d 
p a r t y when 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
c o u l d 
do 
so 
d i r e c t l y . 
He 
a l s o 
s e t 
o u t 
s e v e r a l 
e x a m p l e s 
o f 
t h e 
p r o b l e m s 
w i t h 
t h i r d - p a r t y 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , 
i n c l u d i n g t h e p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t t h e 
t h i r d p a r t y 
m i s i n t e r p r e t e d 
t h e 
s u s p e c t ' s 
w o r d s o r t h a t 
a t h i r d 
p a r t y may 
be 
c o l o r e d 
by 
h i s 
o r h e r own 
v i e w o f what i s i n t h e s u s p e c t ' s 
b e s t 
i n t e r e s t . 
J u d g e C o l e a l s o n o t e d an a s y m m e t r y i n t h e m a j o r i t y o p i n i o n : 
a 
s u s p e c t 
c a n n o t 
i n v o k e 
h i s 
r i g h t 
t o 
c o u n s e l 
t h r o u g h 
a 
t h i r d 
p a r t y , 
a l t h o u g h 
t h e 
t h i r d p a r t y may 
" n o n e t h e l e s s 
p l a y a 
r o l e 
i n b r i n g i n g a b o u t t h e w a i v e r o f t h a t r i g h t . " 
488 
F.3d 
a t 
435. 
J u d g e C o l e a l s o d i s a g r e e d w i t h t h e m a j o r i t y ' s h o l d i n g t h a t 
t h e 
f a c t s 
s u p p o r t e d 
t h e 
p r o p o s i t i o n 
t h a t 
Van 
Hook 
i n i t i a t e d 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h t h e p o l i c e t h r o u g h h i s m o t h e r . 
A l t h o u g h 
J u d g e 
C o l e ' s 
d i s s e n t 
r a i s e s 
v a l i d 
p o i n t s , 
we 
a g r e e w i t h t h e m a j o r i t y o p i n i o n i n Van Hook t h a t u n d e r E d w a r d s 
an a c c u s e d can 
i n i t i a t e f u r t h e r i n t e r r o g a t i o n t h r o u g h a 
t h i r d 
32 
1071410 
p a r t y . 
We 
r e c o g n i z e 
t h a t 
E d w a r d s 
and 
t h e 
Supreme 
C o u r t 
d e c i s i o n s b o t h p r e - and p o s t - E d w a r d s 
e s t a b l i s h e d a b r i g h t - l i n e 
r u l e 
p r e v e n t i n g p o l i c e 
f r o m 
r e i n i t i a t i n g 
c o n t a c t 
w i t h 
an 
a c c u s e d ; h o w e v e r , t h o s e c a s e s a l s o r e c o g n i z e d t h a t an a c c u s e d 
c a n l a t e r d e c i d e t o r e i n i t i a t e c o m m u n i c a t i o n . 
E d w a r d s was 
n o t 
c o n c e r n e d 
w i t h 
t h e c h a n n e l s 
o r means o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n , 
b u t 
w i t h w h e t h e r t h e a c c u s e d h i m s e l f r e i n i t i a t e d 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n . 
W i t h 
t h i r d - p a r t y 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
a r e 
s t i l l 
p r o h i b i t e d f r o m r e i n i t i a t i n g q u e s t i o n i n g , and t h e i m p e t u s f o r 
r e i n i t i a t i o n must 
s t i l l come f r o m t h e 
a c c u s e d . 
C o n c l u s i o n 
A s s u m i n g t h a t W i l l i a m s ' s r e q u e s t f o r c o u n s e l on November 
30, 
2005, 
was 
u n e q u i v o c a l , 
we 
d i s a g r e e 
w i t h 
W i l l i a m s ' s 
a r g u m e n t 
t h a t 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
v i o l a t e d 
E d w a r d s 
when 
t h e y 
r e i n i t i a t e d 
c o n t a c t 
w i t h 
h i m 
on 
December 
14 , 
2005. 
A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e j u d g m e n t o f t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s i s 
a f f i r m e d . 
AFFIRMED. 
W o o d a l l , 
S t u a r t , S m i t h , and P a r k e r , J J . , c o n c u r . 
B o l i n , J . , c o n c u r s 
s p e c i a l l y . 
Cobb, C . J . , and L y o n s , J . , c o n c u r i n t h e 
r e s u l t . 
33 
1071410 
M u r d o c k , J . , d i s s e n t s . 
Shaw, J . , r e c u s e s 
h i m s e l f . * 
* J u s t i c e 
Shaw was a member 
o f t h e C o u r t 
o f 
C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s when t h a t c o u r t 
c o n s i d e r e d 
t h i s 
c a s e . 
34 
1071410 
BOLIN, J u s t i c e 
( c o n c u r r i n g 
s p e c i a l l y ) . 
I 
a g r e e 
w i t h 
a l l a s p e c t s 
o f 
t h e 
m a j o r i t y 
o p i n i o n . 
I 
w r i t e 
s p e c i a l l y 
t o 
n o t e 
t h a t 
t h e 
m a j o r i t y 
i n Van 
Hook 
v. 
 
A n d e r s o n , 488 
F.3d 
411 
( 6 t h C i r . 2 0 0 7 ) , was 
c o n c e r n e d t h a t 
t h e 
d e f e n d a n t be 
t h e p e r s o n r e s p o n s i b l e 
f o r r e i n i t i a t i n g 
c o n t a c t 
w i t h 
t h e 
p o l i c e , e v e n 
i f t h a t 
r e i n i t i a t i o n 
came t h r o u g h 
a 
t h i r d 
p a r t y . 
W i t h 
t h a t 
i n m i n d , 
t h e 
Van 
Hook c o u r t 
s t a t e d 
t h a t 
a 
s u s p e c t 
i n i t i a t e s 
f u r t h e r 
c o n t a c t 
w i t h 
t h e 
p o l i c e 
t h r o u g h a t h i r d p a r t y " [ w ] h e n t h e p o l i c e r e c e i v e 
i n f o r m a t i o n 
t h a t a s u s p e c t w a n t s t o t a l k ; when t h e r e i s a s u f f i c i e n t 
b a s i s 
f o r b e l i e v i n g i t s v a l i d i t y ; 
and when t h e p o l i c e c o n f i r m 
w i t h 
t h e 
s u s p e c t 
t h e 
v a l i d i t y 
o f t h a t 
i n f o r m a t i o n . " 
488 
F.3d 
a t 
4 2 4 - 2 5 . 
I a g r e e 
t h a t 
t h i r d - p a r t y c o m m u n i c a t i o n s must meet 
t h i s 
s t a n d a r d . 
I n 
t h e 
p r e s e n t 
c a s e , 
h o w e v e r , 
t h e 
r e c o r d 
w o u l d 
n o t 
s u p p o r t 
a f i n d i n g t h a t 
W i l l i a m s 
r e i n i t i a t e d 
f u r t h e r 
c o n t a c t 
w i t h p o l i c e a f t e r he 
r e q u e s t e d 
c o u n s e l 
on November 30, 
2005. 
D e t e c t i v e 
T o r r e n c e 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t some o f W i l l i a m s ' s 
f a m i l y 
members c o n t a c t e d 
h i m 
and 
i n f o r m e d h i m 
t h a t W i l l i a m s had 
t o l d 
them 
t h a t 
he 
w a n t e d 
t o 
t a l k 
t o 
t h e 
a u t h o r i t i e s 
a g a i n . 
D e t e c t i v e 
T o r r e n c e 
c o u l d 
n o t 
remember 
t h e 
f a m i l y 
members' 
35 
1071410 
names. 
N o t h i n g 
i n D e t e c t i v e T o r r e n c e ' s t e s t i m o n y 
i n d i c a t e s a 
s u f f i c i e n t 
b a s i s 
f o r b e l i e v i n g t h e 
v a l i d i t y 
o f t h e 
f a m i l y 
members' 
s t a t e m e n t s 
r e g a r d i n g 
W i l l i a m s ' s 
d e s i r e 
and 
w i l l i n g n e s s t o t a l k t o t h e p o l i c e a g a i n . 
D u r i n g t h e December 
14, 
2 0 0 5 , 
c u s t o d i a l 
i n t e r v i e w , 
n o t h i n g 
i n d i c a t e s 
t h a t 
D e t e c t i v e 
T o r r e n c e was 
r e i n i t i a t i n g 
q u e s t i o n i n g o f 
W i l l i a m s 
b a s e d on f a m i l y members' i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t W i l l i a m s w a n t e d t o 
t a l k 
w i t h 
p o l i c e a g a i n 
a f t e r he 
a s s e r t e d h i s r i g h t t o h a v e 
c o u n s e l 
p r e s e n t . 
I n o t h e r w o r d s , t h e r e i s n o t h i n g 
t o show 
t h a t 
D e t e c t i v e 
T o r r e n c e 
c o n f i r m e d 
w i t h W i l l i a m s 
t h a t he h a d 
a s k e d f a m i l y members t o c o n t a c t t h e p o l i c e on h i s b e h a l f i n 
o r d e r t o r e i n i t i a t e i n t e r r o g a t i o n . 
I 
r e c o g n i z e 
t h a t 
D e t e c t i v e 
T o r r e n c e 
r e a d 
W i l l i a m s h i s 
M i r a n d a r i g h t s b e f o r e b e g i n n i n g t h e i n t e r r o g a t i o n on December 
14, 2005. 
However, 
a v a l i d 
w a i v e r 
o f t h e r i g h t t o 
c o u n s e l 
c a n n o t 
be 
e s t a b l i s h e d 
by 
s h o w i n g 
o n l y 
t h a t 
t h e 
a c c u s e d 
r e s p o n d e d t o p o l i c e - i n i t i a t e d i n t e r r o g a t i o n a f t e r b e i n g 
a g a i n 
a d v i s e d o f h i s M i r a n d a r i g h t s . 
E d w a r d s v . A r i z o n a , 451 
U.S. 
477, 484 
( 1 9 8 1 ) . 
I n o t e t h a t i n i t s 
u n p u b l i s h e d 
memorandum, 
t h e 
C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s 
s t a t e s t h a t 
W i l l i a m s 
d i d n o t 
d i s p u t e 
D e t e c t i v e 
T o r r e n c e ' s 
t e s t i m o n y 
r e g a r d i n g 
t h e 
36 
1071410 
r e i n i t i a t i o n o f p o l i c e 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n . 
The b u r d e n i s on t h e 
p r o s e c u t i o n 
t o show 
t h a t 
t h e a c c u s e d 
i n i t i a t e d 
f u r t h e r 
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , e x c h a n g e s , o r c o n v e r s a t i o n s w i t h t h e p o l i c e 
and 
t h a t t h e a c c u s e d 
v o l u n t a r i l y a n d k n o w i n g l y 
w a i v e d h i s 
p r e v i o u s l y 
a s s e r t e d 
r i g h t 
t o h a v e 
c o u n s e l 
p r e s e n t 
d u r i n g 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n . 
O r e g o n v. B r a d s h a w , 462 U.S. 1039 
( 1 9 8 3 ) . 
I n R o b i n s o n v . S t a t e , 698 So. 2d 1160 ( A l a . C r i m . App. 
1 9 9 6 ) , R o b i n s o n was p i c k e d up b y p o l i c e f o r 
q u e s t i o n i n g i n 
a 
r o b b e r y . 
Two o t h e r s u s p e c t s were a l s o p i c k e d up a n d t a k e n t o 
p o l i c e 
h e a d q u a r t e r s . 
D u r i n g 
q u e s t i o n i n g , R o b i n s o n 
a s s e r t e d 
h i s 
r i g h t t o c o u n s e l . 
However, t h e n e x t d a y he was 
a g a i n 
q u e s t i o n e d by t h e p o l i c e a n d s u b s e q u e n t l y 
c o n f e s s e d , a n d h i s 
c o n f e s s i o n was a d m i t t e d 
i n t o e v i d e n c e . 
On a p p e a l , 
R o b i n s o n 
a r g u e d t h a t h i s c o n f e s s i o n s h o u l d be s u p p r e s s e d 
b e c a u s e , he 
a r g u e d , 
t h e 
p r o s e c u t i o n d i d n o t s a t i s f y i t s b u r d e n o f s h o w i n g 
t h a t he h a d i n i t i a t e d c o n t a c t o r c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h t h e p o l i c e 
a f t e r he h a d made a r e q u e s t f o r c o u n s e l . 
I n a d d r e s s i n g t h e 
p r o s e c u t i o n ' s b u r d e n , t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s 
s t a t e d : 
"The 
f a c t s 
show 
t h a t 
d u r i n g 
t h e 
f i r s t 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n 
o f 
[ R o b i n s o n ] , 
w h i c h 
o c c u r r e d 
on 
November 5, 1992, he made a r e q u e s t 
f o r c o u n s e l . 
S p e c i f i c a l l y , 
[ R o b i n s o n ] 
t o l d D e t e c t i v e M i k e 
W a l l a c e 
t h a t he d i d 
n o t want t o a n s w e r any more 
q u e s t i o n s 
u n t i l he h a d an a t t o r n e y p r e s e n t . T h i s s t a t e m e n t was 
37 
1071410 
s u f f i c i e n t t o be c o n s i d e r e d a c l e a r a n d u n e q u i v o c a l 
r e q u e s t f o r 
c o u n s e l . See D a v i s v. U n i t e d S t a t e s , 512 
U.S. 452, 114 S . C t . 2350, 129 L . E d . 2 d 362 
( 1 9 9 4 ) ; 
[ A r i z o n a v.] R o b e r s o n , 
[48 6 U.S. 675, 108 S . C t . 
2093, 100 L . E d . 2 d 704 
( 1 9 8 8 ) ] . 
The i n v e s t i g a t i n g 
o f f i c e r 
h o n o r e d 
t h i s 
r e q u e s t 
a n d 
i m m e d i a t e l y 
t e r m i n a t e d 
q u e s t i o n i n g . 
However, on November 6, 
1992, 
[ R o b i n s o n ] made a 
c o n f e s s i o n , 
i n w h i c h he 
a d m i t t e d t o p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n t h e bank r o b b e r y . 
No 
a t t o r n e y 
was 
p r e s e n t 
when 
[ R o b i n s o n ] 
made 
t h i s 
c o n f e s s i o n . 
" B e c a u s e 
[ R o b i n s o n ] h a d r e q u e s t e d 
c o u n s e l a n d 
b e c a u s e h i s c o n f e s s i o n was g i v e n a f t e r t h i s 
r e q u e s t , 
t h e 
p r o s e c u t i o n 
h a d t h e b u r d e n 
o f p r o v i n g 
t h a t 
[ R o b i n s o n ] i n i t i a t e d t h e f u r t h e r c o n t a c t a n d t h a t he 
v o l u n t a r i l y 
a n d 
k n o w i n g l y 
w a i v e d 
h i s p r e v i o u s l y 
a s s e r t e d 
r i g h t t o be r e p r e s e n t e d 
b y c o u n s e l . 
The 
o n l y 
t e s t i m o n y 
t h a t 
s u p p o r t s 
t h e c o n t e n t i o n 
t h a t 
[ R o b i n s o n ] 
i n i t i a t e d 
f u r t h e r c o n t a c t was g i v e n b y 
D e t e c t i v e F i s h e r , who s t a t e d t h a t he ' d i d n ' t go a n d 
t a l k 
t o 
[ R o b i n s o n ] 
b e c a u s e 
someone 
t o l d 
me 
t h a t 
[ R o b i n s o n ] 
-- someone i n t h e 
j a i l , 
a n d I'm n o t 
r e a l l y 
s u r e , 
h o n e s t l y , 
I'm n o t -- t h a t 
[ R o b i n s o n ] 
r e q u e s t e d t o t a l k t o me.' 
A c c o r d i n g t o F i s h e r , 
t h i s 
i n c i d e n t 
h a p p e n e d 
w h i l e 
he 
was 
q u e s t i o n i n g 
[a 
c o d e f e n d a n t ] . 
[ R o b i n s o n ] , 
h o w e v e r , 
t e s t i f i e d 
t h a t 
he d i d 
n o t a s k t o s p e a k t o any d e t e c t i v e 
a f t e r he 
had 
r e q u e s t e d 
an 
a t t o r n e y 
a n d t h a t 
he g a v e h i s 
c o n f e s s i o n 
o n l y 
a f t e r he was b r o u g h t t o F i s h e r i n 
t h e 
i n t e r r o g a t i o n room. 
"Upon 
t h e s e 
f a c t s , we a r e c o m p e l l e d t o a g r e e 
w i t h [ R o b i n s o n ] t h a t t h e p r o s e c u t i o n d i d n o t s a t i s f y 
i t s b u r d e n o f p r o v i n g 
t h a t he i n i t i a t e d t h e c o n t a c t 
w i t h t h e i n v e s t i g a t i n g o f f i c e r s on November 6, 1992, 
a f t e r 
h a v i n g 
a s s e r t e d 
h i s r i g h t 
t o c o u n s e l 
t h e 
p r e c e d i n g 
d a y . The o n l y 
e v i d e n c e 
t h a t 
[ R o b i n s o n ] 
i n i t i a t e d 
t h e 
November 
6 
m e e t i n g 
w i t h 
t h e 
i n v e s t i g a t o r s was t h e 
h e a r s a y t e s t i m o n y o f D e t e c t i v e 
F i s h e r . 
I n d e t e r m i n i n g 
w h e t h e r t h e p r o s e c u t i o n h a s 
s a t i s f i e d 
i t s b u r d e n , a c o u r t s h o u l d 
' i n d u l g e 
e v e r y 
38 
1071410 
r e a s o n a b l e p r e s u m p t i o n a g a i n s t w a i v e r o f f u n d a m e n t a l 
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l 
r i g h t s ' 
a n d 
' d o u b t s 
[ c o n c e r n i n g 
w h e t h e r t h e r e was a v a l i d 
w a i v e r ] 
must be r e s o l v e d 
i n 
f a v o r o f p r o t e c t i n g t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l 
c l a i m . ' 
[ M i c h i g a n 
v.] J a c k s o n , 
475 U.S. 
[625,] 
633, 10 
6 
S.Ct. 
[1404,] 
140 9 
[ ( 1 
98 
6 ) ] . 
P u r s u a n t 
t o 
t h e s e 
p r i n c i p l e s , 
we must 
f i n d 
t h a t 
h e a r s a y 
t e s t i m o n y , 
a l o n e , i s i n s u f f i c i e n t t o s a t i s f y t h e s t a t e ' s b u r d e n 
i n 
t h i s 
c a s e . 
T h e r e f o r e , 
we h o l d 
t h a t t h e 
t r i a l 
c o u r t 
e r r e d i n o v e r r u l i n g 
[ R o b i n s o n ' s ] 
m o t i o n t o 
s u p p r e s s h i s c o n f e s s i o n . "
3 
698 So. 2d a t 
1164. 
I n c o n c l u s i o n , I n o t e 
t h a t 
a l t h o u g h 
I b e l i e v e t h a t t h e 
p o l i c e d i d 
n o t v i o l a t e 
E d w a r d s v. A r i z o n a , I b e l i e v e 
t h a t , 
u n d e r t h e f a c t s o f t h i s c a s e , t h e S t a t e w o u l d n o t h a v e met i t s 
b u r d e n u n d e r Van Hook o f s h o w i n g 
t h a t 
W i l l i a m s 
r e i n i t i a t e d 
c o n t a c t o r c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h t h e p o l i c e 
a f t e r he h a d made a 
r e q u e s t f o r c o u n s e l . 
However, W i l l i a m s ' s 
o n l y a r g u m e n t i s 
t h a t 
a t h i r d p a r t y c a n n o t 
r e i n i t i a t e c o n t a c t w i t h p o l i c e on 
b e h a l f o f a d e f e n d a n t . 
T h e r e f o r e , t h e i s s u e w h e t h e r a 
t h i r d 
p a r t y ' s s t a t e m e n t r e g a r d i n g 
r e i n i t i a t i o n was r e l i a b l e was n o t 
b e f o r e t h e C o u r t o f C r i m i n a l 
A p p e a l s . 
3 I n 
R o b i n s o n , 
s u p r a , 
no a r g u m e n t was made 
r e g a r d i n g a 
t h i r d p a r t y ' s 
r e i n i t i a t i n g c o n t a c t w i t h t h e p o l i c e on b e h a l f 
o f t h e a c c u s e d . 
39 
1071410 
MURDOCK, J u s t i c e 
( d i s s e n t i n g ) . 
As i t r e l a t e s t o t h e f a c t s o f t h i s c a s e , J u s t i c e 
B o l i n ' s 
s p e c i a l w r i t i n g r a i s e s s e v e r a l 
s e r i o u s c o n c e r n s . 
I n my 
v i e w , 
t h e s e 
c o n c e r n s 
a r e 
w e l l 
s t a t e d 
and, 
more 
i m p o r t a n t l y , 
m e r i t o r i o u s . 
U n l i k e 
J u s t i c e B o l i n , h o w e v e r , I do n o t f i n d i t 
n e c e s s a r y t o d e c i d e how 
t o r e a c t 
t o t h e s e c o n c e r n s 
i n 
t h i s 
p a r t i c u l a r 
c a s e . 
T h i s 
i s so b e c a u s e 
I am p e r s u a d e d by what 
t h e m a i n o p i n i o n , 
i t s e l f , c o n c e d e s t o be " v a l i d p o i n t s " 
r a i s e d 
by 
J u d g e 
C o l e 
i n h i s 
d i s s e n t i n g 
o p i n i o n 
i n Van 
Hook 
v. 
 
A n d e r s o n , 488 F.3d 411, 428 
( 6 t h C i r . 2 0 0 7 ) , p o i n t s w i t h 
w h i c h 
7 
o f t h e 
15 
j u d g e s 
o f 
t h e 
C o u r t 
o f A p p e a l s 
f o r t h e 
S i x t h 
C i r c u i t 
a g r e e d . 
See 
a l s o 
Van 
Hook, 
488 
F.3d 
a t 
437 
( M e r r i t t , 
J . , d i s s e n t i n g ) 
( j o i n e d by 
f i v e 
j u d g e s ) ; 
and 
Van 
 
Hook, 488 F.3d 
a t 440 
( M a r t i n , J . , d i s s e n t i n g ) . 
I 
t h e r e f o r e 
r e s p e c t f u l l y 
d i s s e n t . 
40