Opinion ID: 1609293
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: issues

Text: We granted this writ application to determine whether defendant's right to counsel under either the federal or state constitutions was violated when a police officer interrogated defendant in jail, without the presence of an attorney, after defendant had been arrested and had made an initial appearance before a magistrate for the purposes of setting bond and appointment of counsel. We hold that where a defendant's federal and state constitutional right to counsel has attached, but where defendant has not asserted or invoked the right which had attached, he may validly waive his right to counsel during an interrogation provided the waiver is knowing, intelligent and voluntary. Because we find the defendant in the instant case in fact did not invoke or assert his right to counsel and subsequently made a valid waiver, we decline to revisit the issue of whether or not the right to counsel attaches at the initial appearance, as was previously held in State v. Hattaway, 621 So.2d 796 (La.1993). For purposes of this opinion, we assume arguendo that it does.