Opinion ID: 2403588
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Interview and Statement

Text: Upon arrival, around 5:30 p.m., Taylor was given food and drink and then was interviewed by Detective Schreiber. The four-hour interview was videotaped. The backdrop of the interview and the arrest warrant that triggered it was Ms. Carter's complaint that the sexual intercourse was not consensual but was committed against her will and upon Taylor's threat that he had a weapon, coupled with Taylor's alleged acknowledgment to three of his counselors that he had engaged in sex with a woman and had forcibly prevented her from leaving his apartment. After some preliminary questions, Schreiber gave Taylor the Miranda advice and warnings. The first warning was the right to remain silent. In that regard, Schreiber said: If you choose to give up that right anything you say can be used against you in court. Now, this sort of has I think bad wording, okay, but it says it can be used against you in court, but anything you say also can be used for you in court because I don't really try to take sides. Okay? (Emphasis added). After completion of the advice of rights, Taylor acknowledged that he had not been promised anything or threatened in any way and that he was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Following a short break, Taylor inquired when his court date would be. Schreiber responded that he did not know, but advised that after we speak or don't speak or whatever goes I'll walk you back over to the commissioner's office. You'll have a hearing in front of the commissioner in reference to the charges, and then the commissioner will look at your record. Schreiber explained that the commissioner would decide whether Taylor would be released on his own personal recognizance, have to post bond, or be denied bond and that, if he had to post bond, he would be transferred to the county jail, at which point he could contact friends or relatives to come and post bond. Schreiber informed Taylor that, if he was not released, he would appear before a judge on Monday (the interview took place on Saturday) for a bail review. When asked by Taylor what he thought would happen  whether the commissioner might release petitioner until his trial date  Schreiber said that he did not know, that there were lots of commissioners and they reach different decisions. He added: Okay. But there's nothing that  you know, we speak and you're pretty forthright and you're pretty truthful to me I can always make a recommendation to the commissioner, you know, say Mr. Taylor was pretty cooperative with me this evening, you know, he didn't give me any trouble, and then that can assist them in making whatever decisions they make. Okay? So, you know, I mean, if you  and I don't have any problem doing that, okay, but if you get in here and you jerk me around and you pull my leg and I know you're lying to me, you know what I mean, then I'm not going to  I wouldn't say anything to him at all. Okay? (Emphasis added). At that point, Schreiber began asking Taylor about what occurred. Taylor said that when they got to his apartment, they went into his bedroom, sat on the bed, and engaged in small talk. At some point, he began rubbing her arm. After a bit, Ms. Carter got up, went to the mirror to fix her hair, and pulled up her skirt, exposing her butt. At petitioner's request, she did that again and then got back on the bed. Taylor hugged her, and they laid down face to face and continued talking. Taylor told her that he wanted to have sex, but she declined and then asked if he was angry. He said that he was not and that he wanted her to stay, so she got back on the bed. They gave each other back massages, but she again declined Taylor's invitation to have sex. Taylor, believing that she was teasing him, was annoyed and sat up on the bed. At that point, according to Taylor, she changed her attitude. She said come on and pulled down her drawers, honest to God, pulled down her drawers, lifted up her skirt, lifted her legs over, laid on the bed like this (indicating). She was like hurry up. She like you got a condom. I was like yeah. She like hurry up. Taylor added: I was like I ain't going to have sex with you with that attitude. She was like come on, come on. I'm like all right. And then all of a sudden when I was having sex with her like  I'd say like a couple of minutes into it then she said  then she was looking at me and she was like boy, hurry up. I was like damn, why you got to be all aggressive, and then she looked at me and as soon as I finished I pulled out. Even though I had a condom on I pulled out and then she looked at me and she said you know this is rape. I was like huh. According to Taylor, Ms. Carter pulled up her drawers, pulled down her skirt, got her pocketbook, and left. Taylor got dressed and followed her, asserting that I didn't rape you. He walked her to a bus stop and she finally said that everything was all right  It's all good. It's cool. Schreiber then wanted Taylor to put his statement in writing and, after some reluctance on Taylor's part, he was able to persuade Taylor to do so. Taylor asked to be taken to the commissioner on several occasions, but Schreiber stressed the importance of having the statement in writing. Before proceeding with a written statement, Taylor twice revisited the prospect of Schreiber's assisting him with the commissioner. He first asked, [i]f the commissioner does decide  if you put in a good word for me and the commissioner does decide to let me go will you take me to the metro station if he decided to let me go, to which he did not get a clear reply. He then asked [i]f I do this and everything be straight can you talk to him for me, man, for real, to which Schreiber responded, You know, like I say, so long as you're straight for me, okay, then I'll talk to the commissioner and just say  let the commissioner know that you cooperated and, you know, that's the most the police can do. He added, I can't say let him go. I can't  that's not up to the police. Okay. So, you know, I know you want to go home. I can tell that. Okay. You know, I just want to make sure you get the opportunity to ... tell your side of the story, okay, and, you know, we'll go from there. Taylor then gave a written statement which, after further questioning regarding it, he signed.