Opinion ID: 719635
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Seizure of the Letter

Text: 15 Shlater argues that the district court erred in denying his motion to suppress the evidence discovered by the police in his home. According to Shlater, the police obtained his consent to search after he had affirmatively requested an attorney pursuant to his Fifth Amendment rights under Miranda. The district court, relying on the videotape as well as the testimony of the officers at the scene, ruled that Shlater's consent to the search of his home was voluntarily and freely given and did not violate any of Shlater's constitutional rights. 16 Consent searches are valid only if the consent was freely and voluntarily given. The question of whether a consent was voluntary, as opposed to the product of duress or coercion, is a question of fact from the totality of the circumstances. United States v. Duran, 957 F.2d 499, 502 (7th Cir.1992). We will not reverse a district court's finding on this issue unless clearly erroneous. Id. 17 In Miranda v. Arizona, the Supreme Court held that before the police can initiate custodial interrogation of a defendant, they must advise the defendant of certain rights, including but not limited to the right to remain silent and the right to counsel. Once an accused asks to be represented by counsel he is not subject to further interrogation by the authorities until counsel has been made available to him.... Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 484-85, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 1885, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1981) (emphasis added). However, Miranda only applies to the custodial interrogation of a defendant. In Rhode Island v. Innis, 446 U.S. 291, 301, 100 S.Ct. 1682, 1690, 64 L.Ed.2d 297 (1980), the Supreme Court defined interrogation to include any words or actions on the part of the police ... that the police should know are reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response from the suspect. 18 Shlater argues that the police request to search was reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response because the police believed incriminating evidence could be found at Shlater's home. We disagree. First, the defendant told the police at the time of his apprehension that he had been coerced by others and that a letter in his dresser drawer at home would exonerate him. Brian Gore, the arresting officer, testified that Shlater repeated to him several times at the scene of his arrest that they made me do it and told him of the specific location where the evidence of the others could be found. Second and more importantly, we have held that a consent to search is not an interrogation within the meaning of Miranda. United States v. Saadeh, 61 F.3d 510, 515 (7th Cir.1995); see also United States v. Smith, 3 F.3d 1088, 1098 (7th Cir.1993) (We have held that a consent to search is not a self-incriminating statement, and therefore, a request to search does not amount to interrogation. This view comports with the view taken by every court of appeals to have addressed the issue.). Thus we hold that the consent to search was not a custodial interrogation triggering the previously invoked Miranda right to counsel. 19 Shlater accompanied the police to his home and at no time did he make any objection to the search. Indeed, it is clear from the videotape that the defendant specifically understood that he had a right to consult counsel concerning the search of his home, but he waived that right (both orally and in writing) and consented to the search. Even though Shlater stated that he wished to have counsel present for any interrogation regarding the specific events of the evening, the law provides that a request for counsel during the interrogation does not apply to the subsequent request for a consent to search. United States v. LaGrone, 43 F.3d 332, 336 (7th Cir.1994) ([t]he Supreme Court has held that a defendant's invocation of his right to counsel for one purpose is not automatically an invocation of his right to counsel for other purposes.) (citing McNeil v. Wisconsin, 501 U.S. 171, 111 S.Ct. 2204, 115 L.Ed.2d 158 (1991)). Having had his right to counsel concerning the search of his home explained to him, the record makes clear that the defendant waived that right and encouraged the police to search his home. See United States v. Baker, 78 F.3d 1241, 1245 (7th Cir.1996) (noting that a consent to search is voluntary and constitutional even where a defendant is not told of his right to counsel).