Opinion ID: 1568022
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Whether the Trial Court Erred by Admitting Nelson's Confession into Evidence.

Text: ¶ 45. Nelson argues that the trial court erred by admitting his confession into evidence. He claims that his right to counsel attached at the time of his initial appearance. Nelson confessed to law enforcement officials two days after his right to counsel attached and without counsel present. The State argues that, even though counsel was not appointed or present at the time of Nelson's statements, he gave his statements after voluntarily and intelligently waiving his Miranda rights. The evidence also shows that Nelson initiated contact with law enforcement officials before his second interview. Therefore, the State contends that the trial court did not err by admitting Nelson's confession. ¶ 46. At the suppression hearing, Crotwell, the Scott County investigator, testified that Nelson was arrested on February 27, 2007. Crotwell stated that he and Knight, an investigator, spoke to Nelson on February 27 after Nelson was read, signed, and waived his Miranda rights. Crotwell stated that Nelson told them that he saw Shannon that day, however, he had nothing to do with Shannon's death. Nelson argues that he had an initial appearance on February 28, 2007. [3] ¶ 47. Gerald Major, a former jailer at the Scott County Detention Center, testified that, about March 1, 2007, while Nelson was outside his cell on yard call, he informed Major that he would like to speak to Crotwell. Major relayed that message through the chain of command. Crotwell testified that a few days after the initial, February 27 interview, Nelson asked to speak to him. On March 2, 2007, Crotwell and Knight spoke to Nelson again. Prior to the March 2 conversation, Knight reread Nelson his Miranda rights, and Nelson again signed the waiver form. In addition, Knight hand-wrote and Nelson signed a note at the bottom of the form, in which Nelson requested to speak to the Scott County investigators. ¶ 48. Crotwell stated that Nelson's March 2 statements were recorded on a compact disc. According to Crotwell, Nelson stated that he and McBeath were at Shannon's house. Nelson told Crotwell that he did not know why he did it, however, he began to choke Shannon when Shannon left the bathroom. Nelson choked Shannon until he was unconscious, loaded Shannon into the trunk of Shannon's car, dumped Shannon's body at Midway, and drove the car to East Central Junior College. ¶ 49. The prosecution then played the compact disc for the trial court. Agent Knight also testified at the suppression hearing. Knight stated that on February 27, 2007, he read the Miranda rights to Nelson. Nelson placed his initials beside each section of the Miranda rights form and signed the waiver at the bottom of the page. At that time, Nelson stated that he had stopped by Shannon's house, that they had decided to smoke some marijuana and not go to school. Nelson stated that he then drove Shannon to Brandon. ¶ 50. The rest of Knight's testimony corroborated Crotwell's testimony. The most critical portion of Knight's testimony corroborated that Nelson had asked to speak to Crotwell; Knight reread Nelson his Miranda rights on March 2, 2007, prior to any statements by Nelson; and Nelson confessed to the crimes. ¶ 51. After these three witnesses testified, Nelson objected to his confession being admitted into evidence because it was not a statement of his free admission, free will, or free testimony, and he was under duress at the time of the statement. The trial court determined that Nelson knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily had waived his Miranda rights without any coercion, intimidation, or promises of rewards. The trial court stated: The Court first having heard the statement must consider the Miranda warnings that was given the defendant on the two occasions to which testimony has been submitted. Uhpursuant to the Miranda case, the State of Arizona v. Miranda, there must be a ruling regarding the admissibility of the statement as to whether or not he was properly informed of his rights, and that with knowledge of his constitutional rights he then knowingly and freely and voluntarily waived those rights and made a statement, not the result of coercion, intimidation, pressure, promises of hope of reward. I've heard the testimony I'veI've reviewed those Miranda warnings. I've heard the testimony of the officers. I am of the opinion that the defendants was given the warning as required by law, that he understood his rights, with knowledge of this rights he's waived them, the waiver was free and voluntary and understandingly made, and the objection to the admissibility of the statements, on both occasions, are overruled. ¶ 52. This Court in Haynes v. State, 934 So.2d 983, 988 (Miss.2006), has held that [w]hether a confession is admissible is a fact-finding function for the trial court, and its decision will not be overturned unless the trial court applied an incorrect legal standard, committed manifest error, or made a decision against the overwhelming weight of the evidence. Haynes, 934 So.2d at 988; see also Moore v. State, 933 So.2d 910, 918 (Miss.2006); Martin v. State, 871 So.2d 693, 701 (Miss. 2004). For a confession to be admissible, it must have been given voluntarily and not given as a result of promises, threats or inducements. Richardson v. State, 722 So.2d 481, 487 (Miss.1998) (citing Morgan v. State, 681 So.2d 82, 86 (Miss. 1996); Chase v. State, 645 So.2d 829, 837-38 (Miss.1994); Layne v. State, 542 So.2d 237, 240 (Miss.1989)). In determining whether a statement is voluntary, the trial judge must first determine whether the accused, prior to the confession, understood the content and substance of the Miranda warning and the nature of the charges of which he was accused. Neal v. State, 451 So.2d 743, 755 (Miss.1984). Martin v. State, 871 So.2d 693, 701 (Miss. 2004). ¶ 53. In Genry v. State, 735 So.2d 186, 195 (Miss.1999), this Court determined whether the defendant's Sixth Amendment right to counsel was violated when he gave an incriminating statement. Like Nelson, Genry relied upon Michigan v. Jackson, 475 U.S. 625, 106 S.Ct. 1404, 89 L.Ed.2d 631 (1986). Genry argued that he gave his first statement the day after the assault; however, he said his second statement violated the Sixth Amendment since police obtained it after he had been appointed counsel. Genry, 735 So.2d at 195. A defendant's Sixth Amendment right to counsel attaches upon the initiation of adversary proceedings. Id. (citing Michigan, 475 U.S. at 635, 106 S.Ct. 1404). ¶ 54. This Court analyzed whether Genry's Sixth Amendment rights were violated based on a number of facts. Prior to and during questioning, Genry never requested the presence of counsel. Genry, 735 So.2d at 196. This Court held that Genry's failure to assert or invoke his right to silence or in any way assert his Sixth Amendment right to counsel, his argument on this point is without merit. Id. (citing Wilcher v. State, 697 So.2d 1087, 1097 (Miss.1997)). This Court further stated: [T]he evidence indicates that, upon being given his Fifth Amendment/ Miranda warnings, Genry waived his right to counsel before each inculpatory statement was given. As a general rule, a defendant may waive his Sixth Amendment right to counsel when he waives his Fifth Amendment rights. Crawford v. State, 716 So.2d 1028, 1038 (Miss. 1998) (citing Wilcher v. State, 697 So.2d 1087, 1096 (Miss.1997)). Therefore, this assignment of error is without merit. Genry, 735 So.2d at 196. ¶ 55. Significantly, Genry initiated contact with law enforcement. Genry, 735 So.2d at 196. This Court held that [o]nce the right to counsel has attached, and the accused asserts the right, he is protected from further police-initiated interrogation. Even if the accused has procured an attorney, the accused may still waive the right to have the lawyer present during any police questioning. Id. (quoting Mettetal v. State, 602 So.2d 864 (Miss.1992)). However, in Genry, this Court further addressed circumstances in which a defendant decides to initiate contact with law enforcement after his or her Sixth Amendment rights are in place. This Court stated: Nothing in the Sixth Amendment prevents a suspect charged with a crime and represented by counsel from voluntarily choosing, on his own, to speak with police in the absence of an attorney. Although a defendant may sometimes later regret his decision to speak with police, the Sixth Amendment does not disable a criminal defendant from exercising his free will. Mettetal, 602 So.2d at 868 (citations omitted). See also Hunter v. State, 684 So.2d 625, 632 (Miss.1996) (The law is well established that an accused person can waive his right to counsel by initiating conversation with law enforcement.). This further supports the State's contention that this issue is without merit. Id. See also Brewer v. Williams, 430 U.S. 387, 405-06, 97 S.Ct. 1232, 1243, 51 L.Ed.2d 424, 441 (1977) (under the circumstances of the case, the Supreme Court held that Williams did not waive his rights under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments). ¶ 56. The factual circumstances here are similar to those in Genry. After his initial appearance, Nelson voluntarily asked to speak to Crotwell. Prior to making his confession, Nelson was reread his Miranda warning. He initialed each portion of his rights and signed underneath the waiver of rights, which stated: I have read this statement of my rights and I understand what my rights are. I am willing to make a statement and answer questions. I do not want a lawyer at this time. I understand and know what I am doing. No promises or threats have been made to me and no pressure or coercion of any kind has been used against me. Furthermore, Knight wrote and Nelson signed a statement at the bottom of his waiver form that stated I have requested to talk to [Special Agent] Danny Knight [and] Scott [County Sheriff's Office Investigator] Steven Crotwell [without] my attorney present. Both Crotwell and Knight testified that Nelson was not promised a reward or leniency, nor was he threatened with violence. Nelson never asked for a lawyer. Also, Crotwell and Knight testified that Nelson did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol and appeared to know what he was doing. ¶ 57. The trial court did not err by admitting Nelson's March 2, 2007, confession. Law enforcement officials advised Nelson his Miranda rights. Nelson initialed the rights and signed the waiver form. Nelson also signed a note stating that he had initiated contact with law enforcement officials. Both law enforcement officials testified that Nelson never asked for a lawyer, that no promises or threats were made to Nelson, and that Nelson appeared to know what he was doing. Accordingly, this Court finds that this assignment of error is without merit.