Opinion ID: 1887553
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: whether the trial court committed reversible error by failing to suppress statements made by the defendant herein

Text: ¶ 32. After his arrest, Miller was taken to the Lamar County Sheriff's office and placed in the booking room to await the arrival of Investigator Fred Steele. After being alone in the booking room for about ten to fifteen minutes, Miller sent word to Officer Roseberry that he needed to see him. When Roseberry went to the booking room to speak with Miller, Miller handed Roseberry a note and said, You need this. According to Roseberry, Miller must have written the note before he was arrested because Miller did not have the opportunity or the materials to write the note once he was taken into custody. Miller stated he wrote the note while he was in the booking room waiting to be interrogated. When Investigator Steele arrived, he Mirandized Miller and asked why he killed Aultman. Miller told Steele he killed Aultman because, she hurt me real bad. Miller sought to have this statement and the note suppressed. ¶ 33. Miller first challenges the admission of the note by arguing he was not properly Mirandized before the note was turned over to police. Miller next challenges the admission of his statements to Steele and the note by arguing he cannot intelligently waive his rights as a juvenile. [2] ¶ 34. We have held when the trial court expressly or implicitly resolves the issue of admissibility of a confession against a defendant, the scope of review of that decision is limited. In Stokes v. State, 548 So.2d 118, 122 (Miss.1989), we held that when the circuit court expressly or implicitly resolves the issue of admissibility of a confession against a defendant, the scope of review is confined to the established limits. In Alexander v. State, 610 So.2d 320 (Miss.1992), we set out those limits: This is essentially a fact-finding function. So long as the court applies the correct legal standards, we will not overturn a finding of fact made by a trial judge unless it be clearly erroneous or contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence. Where, on conflicting evidence, the lower court admits a statement into evidence this Court generally must affirm. Dancer v. State, 721 So.2d 583, 587 (Miss. 1998) (internal citations & punctuation omitted). ¶ 35. In Greenlee v. State , a case involving a fifteen-year-old juvenile, we discussed Miranda requirements. The threshold question in a Miranda rights analysis is whether the defendant was in custody and being interrogated when the statement in question was made. Greenlee, 725 So.2d at 825 (citing Hunt v. State, 687 So.2d 1154, 1159 (Miss.1996)). Neither general on the scene questioning, nor voluntary statements made by a defendant are enough to trigger the requirements of Miranda. Greenlee, 725 So.2d at 825 (citing Hunt, 687 So.2d at 1159 (citing Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 477-78, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966))). ¶ 36. The State has the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that any confession given, was given voluntarily. Haymer v. State, 613 So.2d 837, 839 (Miss.1993). The State can make a prima facie case that it has met this burden through, testimony of an officer, or other persons having knowledge of the facts, that the confession was voluntarily made without any threats, coercion, or offer of reward. Cox v. State, 586 So.2d 761, 763 (Miss.1991). When the prima facie case is made, it is up to the defendant to present evidence to rebut the State's argument. Cox, 586 So.2d at 763. ¶ 37. The State presented ample evidence to show that Miller was not interrogated until Investigator Fred Steele went to the booking room, read Miller his rights and questioned him. In fact, when Miller was arrested the officers cautioned Miller not to make any statements. Officer Roseberry testified that after Miller was arrested, Miller had neither the materials nor the opportunity to write the note Miller turned over to police, so the note must have been written before Miller was arrested. Miller presented no evidence, other than his own statement, to show he wrote the note while in the booking room. Even assuming arguendo Miller did, as he claims, write the note in the booking room, the note was not the product of an interrogation and must be considered voluntary. ¶ 38. Miller also challenges the admission of the note and the admission of his statement to Officer Steele on the basis that a minor cannot intelligently waive his rights. This argument was rejected by this Court in Morgan v. State, 681 So.2d 82 (Miss.1996) and most recently in Clemons v. State, 733 So.2d 266 (Miss.1999). We decline to adopt it today. This assignment is without merit.