Opinion ID: 2550764
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Motion Hearing

Text: Detective Patrick McLaughlin, a sixteen-year veteran of the police department with more than three years' experience in the child abuse unit, testified to the following at the hearing on the motion. Shortly after being assigned to investigate the case, he interviewed Randy, then twelve years old, at his home in Baltimore City. Following the interview, Detective McLaughlin suggested that Randy place a one-party consent telephone call [2] to Petitioner, to elicit some type of admission or acknowledgment that the abuse occurred. Randy and his mother agreed to make the phone call. The relevant portions of the call between Randy and Petitioner are set forth below: [Randy]: But you know I, I missed you and I wanted to call to say hi. [Petitioner]: I miss you too. Oh my, God. I been thinking about you wondering what you doin and stuff. [Randy]: But you know I been thinking a lot about what happened between us and . . . [Petitioner]: I know. [Randy]: . . . remember that? [Petitioner]: Yeah. [Randy]: And I kind of, it kind of made me uncomfortable. [Petitioner]: Yeah. [Randy]: After I thought about it (inaudible) it made me uncomfortable. [Petitioner]: Yeah, well you know I, I think we're cool now . . . [Randy]: Yeah. [Petitioner]: . . . so. [Randy]: But you know, when you touched me or the way I touched you, I don't, I don't want you, I don't want you to get in trouble but just I promise that it won't happen again. [Petitioner]: Yeah, I just, you know, the Holy Ghost is a wonderful teacher and I love the Lord (inaudible), you know, God is just a wonderful God. [Randy]: Um, can I ask you one thing? [Petitioner]: What? [Randy]: Can you apologize to me? [Petitioner]: Hmm? [Randy]: Can you apologize to me? [Petitioner]: I just want to, you know, I just want to go to heaven and forget what God is doing and continue to do, and I know that God is going to continue bless me and I just, you know, God is, we're in a revival right now in Virginia, and God is, I can't begin to describe all the things that God is, I can't begin to describe it, you know. [Randy]: Oh, um, yeah but . . . [Petitioner]: (Inaudible) [Randy]: But can you apologize to me? [Petitioner]: I, I, Randy I don't wanna go into all that right now. I just wanna let God do his work. God is, is just doing great things right now and. . . [Randy]: Can you just apologize to me? [Petitioner]: I really want . . . (inaudible) [Randy]: Well, maybe not apologize but just to admit that that did happen. [Petitioner]: I, I'm not going into the (inaudible) I just want God. . . [Randy]: Okay, if you don't, if you don't apologize I'm gonna have to tell my mother. [Petitioner]: I'm not, I'm not going to, why are you, why are you going to this route? [Randy]: I just want you to apologize to me. [Petitioner]: (inaudible) What did you say when you first got on the phone? [Randy]: I miss you and I wanted to call and say hi and I been thinking a lot about what happened between us and it made me uncomfortable. [Petitioner]: Yeah, I, you know. [Randy]: But I, I, I don't want to you, I don't want to get you in trouble. [Petitioner]: Alright, and I understand cause we uh, both have done . . . [Petitioner]: I, I never, we, we have been through all this. We have been through all this already and I, I just don't even want to, I want to go to heaven (inaudible). [Randy]: I know but you haven't, I haven't forgiven you yet cause you haven't apologized to me. [Petitioner]: I thought we had already been down this road, that happened a long time ago and I just thank God that we . . . [Randy]: But you never apologized. [Petitioner]: Okay, yeah we've been down this road for everything that had happened but I do apologize. [Randy]: So you apologize that you touched me in the wrong place. [Petitioner]: I, I'm not. [Randy]: I just wanna put, I just wanna put this behind us. [Petitioner]: It is, it is behind us right now. [Randy]: It is behind us, okay. [Petitioner]: Yes, it is behind us, I guarantee (inaudible) God is (inaudible) and I love him. . . Four days after that telephone conversation, Detective McLaughlin went to Petitioner's home and, when told that Petitioner was not home, left him a telephone voice message. When Petitioner returned the call later that morning, Detective McLaughlin notified him that his name came up in an investigation and it wasn't that big of a deal. Detective McLaughlin asked Petitioner to come to the police station for an interview. Petitioner agreed to take part in the interview. When Petitioner arrived at the police station he was greeted by Detective McLaughlin, who asked Petitioner to accompany him to the interview room. The interview room measured twelve feet long and six feet wide and contained three chairs and a table. Detective Tracy Morgan, who, like Detective McLaughlin, was dressed in business attire, assisted Detective McLaughlin in the interview. Both detectives secured their weapons in a lockbox outside of the interview room. The door to the interview room was closed but unlocked. Petitioner sat closest to the door, with the two detectives seated opposite him. The interview started at 11:30 a.m. and lasted approximately for a half an hour. Following the interview, Petitioner left the police station. Detective McLaughlin began the questioning by asking Petitioner if he knew why [Detective McLaughlin] had asked him to come to the office. Petitioner replied that he was surprised that he received a call, but had a suspicion as to why [the detective] called him. Shortly thereafter, Detective McLaughlin advised Petitioner that the police had recorded the telephone call from Randy to Petitioner, during which Petitioner apologized to Randy for touching him inappropriately. Detective McLaughlin informed Petitioner that Randy and his mother did not want to see him get into trouble, but they only wanted an apology. He then questioned Petitioner about the frequency of the sexual encounters between Petitioner and the victim. Petitioner responded that he had masturbated Randy on six occasions. Detective McLaughlin then suggested that Petitioner write an apology note to Randy and provided Petitioner with writing materials. Petitioner presented Detective McLaughlin with the following letter: Hi Randy: I am very sorry for everything that happened between us, God knows! I wish this had never happened and it will never happen again. God is blessing both of us greatly and since we have forgiven each other, I know God has forgiven us to [sic]. /s/ Rev. Enoch Hill At the conclusion of the interview, Detective McLaughlin informed Petitioner that the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office reviews all of the police department's cases. Petitioner, in turn, testified that he went voluntarily to the police station and was not threatened by the police before or during the interview. Moreover, he suspected at the time of the telephone call that it was being recorded, and he was aware at the time of the interview that people who sexually abuse children face criminal charges. Petitioner confirmed Detective McLaughlin's statement that Randy and his mother did not want to see him get into trouble, but they only wanted an apology, adding that Detective McLaughlin had also said something like they don't want to go through a long trial. Petitioner further testified that, when asked by Detective McLaughlin to just write a letter, he did so because he is a minister, and all [he] wanted to do was have this over and not be brought to shame because of a lie. In addition, he believed supplying an apology letter would just end the nightmare and what [he] was going through. The court heard arguments of counsel, then ruled: [I]n terms of the [statement by Detective McLaughlin concerning the victim's family's desire not to see Petitioner get into any trouble and to receive an apology], I think the detective was very careful in his questions. And [defense attorney], while it walks right up to the line of what appears to be an inducement, I think that the detective was extremely careful to make sure that the detective did not make any specific threats, promises or inducements of State action which would be the Police Department won't charge or the State's Attorney won't charge, or the detective would make sure that no charges take place. And you know, when I consider the voluntariness of the statement, I have to look at the totality of the circumstances. The gentleman was invited there by way of a phone call. He went there on his own. He drove. The gentleman tells me that he knew that there were these allegations, and these possible charges. The gentleman told me that he believed his earlier phone call was recorded. The gentleman told us there were no threats. The detective indicates no weapons were present. He is not in uniform. There is no alcohol. It is not late at night. There is not extended questioning for 24 to 36 hours, like Prince George's County is well known for. The gentleman has a college degree. I don't think the officer implied that the State or the police, or anyone, would not prosecute. And I think he walked carefully to that line and never crossed the line. So the Court is going to deny the request to suppress the statements. . . .