Opinion ID: 1706565
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: did the lower court err in admitting willie's confessions into evidence?

Text: The trial court overruled Willie's motion to suppress the statements obtained from Willie by the authorities. Willie contends that the trial court erred in overruling his motion because (1) Willie previously had asserted his fifth amendment right to counsel on a charge of grand larceny, and therefore, under the guidelines of Arizona v. Roberson, 486 U.S. 675, 108 S.Ct. 2093, 100 L.Ed.2d 704 (1988), Willie could not be interrogated on any charge in the absence of counsel, and (2) the initial confession was involuntary because it was obtained by promises of benefit or leniency, and therefore it and all subsequent confessions were inadmissible. The determination of whether a confession is admissable is a finding of fact. Berry v. State, 575 So.2d 1, 4 (Miss. 1990), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 111 S.Ct. 2042, 114 L.Ed.2d 126 (1991). We will not reverse a trial judge's finding on this issue as long as the judge applied the correct legal standard, did not commit manifest error, and the decision is not contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence. Berry, 575 So.2d at 4.