Opinion ID: 1516756
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Admissibility of Admissions Made By Michael L.

Text: Michael next attacks the admissibility at trial of his admission, given in the presence of the Van Buren police chief, that he had been involved with the break in the school and the theft from the soda machine. The appellant claims that the admission was involuntary, that promises of leniency were made to him and that the police chief deliberately used a parent to secure the admission. The confession was made to the police chief in the presence of Michael's father. The chief gave Michael a Miranda card which Michael read and said he understood. The chief then advised Michael that he had information that Michael had been involved in the school incident. Michael didn't say anything. Michael's father then said: Did you do this? Michael replied that he had been involved in the incident at the school. Defense counsel claims that the police used Michael's father to cause a confession from the child and that such conduct is contrary to fundamental fairness and governmental fair play. The juvenile court did not find that the police conduct was coercive, nor do we. We have previously rejected a per se rule requiring the notification of an adult interested in a juvenile's welfare prior to interrogation in favor of a totality-of-the-circumstances test as the standard by which to measure the waiver of Miranda rights by a juvenile. State v. Ann Marie C., Me., 407 A.2d 715, 724-25 (1979). See Fare v. Michael C., 442 U.S. 707, 725, 99 S.Ct. 2560, 2572, 61 L.Ed.2d 197, 212 (1979). Here, of course, the juvenile's parent was with him during the questioning and, indeed, asked the question which resulted in the juvenile's admission in the presence of the police officer. The police informed Michael of his rights but did not do so in the presence of Michael's father and, in fact, never informed Michael's father of his son's Miranda rights. Though it would be preferable to advise an adult interested in a juvenile's welfare of the juvenile's Miranda rights, as well as the interrogation itself, failure to do so does not mechanically render a subsequent waiver per se invalid. Failure to notify an adult of the juvenile's Miranda rights is a factor to be used, in addition to such factors as the juvenile's age, experience, education, background, intelligence, and capacity to understand his rights, see Fare v. Michael C., 442 U.S. 707, 725, 99 S.Ct. 2560, 2572, 61 L.Ed.2d 197, 212 (1979), in assessing whether a juvenile has effectively waived his Miranda rights. Ann Marie C., 407 A.2d at 724. We do not, however, give such a failure dispositive weight. Id. Following a hearing the District Court judge found beyond a reasonable doubt that the statements made by Michael were made freely and voluntarily. Applying the totality-of-the-circumstances test, we find rational support exists for that determination. See State v. Bleyl, Me., 435 A.2d 1349, 1358 (1981); State v. Simmons, Me., 435 A.2d 1090, 1092 (1981); State v. Farley, Me., 358 A.2d 516, 519 (1976). Here, we find nothing in the record which would have compelled the conclusion that Michael's free will had been overridden by the question addressed to him by his father. See Simmons, 435 A.2d at 1093. Michael has also argued that the police improperly promised him leniency in return for his admission. In State v. Tardiff, Me., 374 A.2d 598, 601 (1977) we held that [a]n inducement to confess is improper when a promise of benefit or reward has been made or implied by one whom the accused could reasonably believe had the authority or power to execute it. Here, the evidence adduced merely indicated that the police explained juvenile proceedings to the juvenile and his father and that from this explanation they had an impression that the case would not go to court. The juvenile's father testified that his impression was an assumption on my part. Michael testified that the chief implied and that he, Michael, got the hint that the case would not go to court but also testified that the District Attorney was mentioned during the conversation. We do not think that this evidence compelled a finding contrary to the one reached by the District Court judge. Although we expressly disapprove of the use of promises of leniency to obtain confessions, we also recognize the necessity of advising juveniles and their parents of the workings of the juvenile justice process. The line between information and implied promise is a fine one. We do not think, however, that the police here crossed that line. Rational support exists for the conclusion reached below that the admission was not a result of improper inducements by the police.