Opinion ID: 1282846
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Invocation and Analysis of Iowa Code Section 804.20. Iowa Code section 804.20 states:

Text: Any peace officer or other person having custody of any person arrested or restrained of the person's liberty for any reason whatever, shall permit that person, without unnecessary delay after arrival at the place of detention, to call, consult, and see a member of the person's family or an attorney of the person's choice, or both. Such person shall be permitted to make a reasonable number of telephone calls as may be required to secure an attorney. If a call is made, it shall be made in the presence of the person having custody of the one arrested or restrained. If such person is intoxicated, or a person under eighteen years of age, the call may be made by the person having custody. An attorney shall be permitted to see and consult confidentially with such person alone and in private at the jail or other place of custody without unreasonable delay. A violation of this section shall constitute a simple misdemeanor. Iowa Code § 804.20 (2007). The statute requires that arrestees be allowed to call both an attorney and a family member. Requests for either type of call are equally important. State v. McAteer, 290 N.W.2d 924, 925 (Iowa 1980). The court first addressed this statutory right in State v. Vietor, 261 N.W.2d 828, 829-30 (Iowa 1978). In Vietor, the defendant was arrested and read his Miranda rights, but then told in the informed consent reading that he was not entitled to consult an attorney before deciding whether to undergo a chemical test. Id. The court found that although the statute did not require the officer to tell the arrestee that he had the right to counsel, the officer could not tell the arrestee that he did not have a right to counsel. Id. at 831. The court also enunciated three statutory rules. Id. at 832. First, an arrestee that asks to call his lawyer should be permitted to do so before submitting to a chemical test. Id. Second, if that person is denied the opportunity to call a lawyer, the evidence of refusal to engage in the chemical test is inadmissible. Id. Third, the arrestee's right to prior consultation is limited to circumstances where it does not materially interfere with the chemical test procedure. [1] Id. We later stated that the statute is to be applied pragmatically by balancing the rights of the arrestee and the goals of the chemical-testing statutes. State v. Tubbs, 690 N.W.2d 911, 914 (Iowa 2005). In Didonato v. Iowa Department of Transportation, 456 N.W.2d 367, 371 (Iowa 1990), we further explained an officer's duty under Iowa Code section 804.20. In that case, Didonato, the arrestee, demanded a phone call, but that request was denied. Didonato, 456 N.W.2d at 368. Didonato continued to ask for his phone call, but eventually signed an implied-consent form and provided a urine sample. Id. In Didonato, the court held that when a request for a phone call is made, and the officer stands mute and refuses the request, the statutory purpose of section 804.20 is not met. Id. at 371. The fact that Didonato requested to call a friend, rather than an attorney or family member, did not change the duty of the police officer. Id. (But when a request to make a phone call is made we do not believe the statutory purpose is met if the officer stands mute and refuses the request. Nor would there be any difference if the request is to call a friend. In these circumstances the statute is implicated and the officer should then advise for what purpose a phone call is permitted under the statute.). The officer must advise the defendant of the purpose of the phone call under the statute in a circumstance where the arrestee requests a phone call. Id. If the arrestee then decides to call a family member or attorney, the police must allow that phone call. Id. Had we stopped at Didonato, the outcome would be clear. However, we recently decided another case that might suggest an alternate outcome. In Tubbs, the defendant originally agreed to chemical testing, but then changed his mind. Tubbs, 690 N.W.2d at 913. He asked to talk to his wife to have her read the document before signing it, but the officer remembered Tubbs' wife had a no-contact order, and did not allow the phone call. Id. Tubbs did not ask to talk to any other family member or attorney after being informed that the phone call would not be allowed because of the no-contact order. Id. Because he did not ask to contact someone other than his wife, we determined that under the unique facts of that case the officer had fulfilled the responsibilities under section 804.20 because Tubbs was not denied the opportunity to talk to another family member or an attorney. Id. at 914. Tubbs is distinguishable because, unlike Didonato where there was confusion as to the people within the scope of section 804.20 who may be called, there was no confusion that triggered the duty to clarify the scope of the persons who may be called. Further, Tubbs made no further request to call someone else. One purpose of Iowa Code section 804.20 is to allow the arrestee to call an attorney before making the decision to submit to chemical testing. Tubbs, 690 N.W.2d at 914. The statute, however, does not limit the phone call to that purpose. As long as the purpose of the phone call is a good faith purpose (e.g., not for ordering a pizza), the arrestee may choose to contact family or a legal representative for advice, or to have them inform his employer that he is not likely to be at work, pick up children from school, or arrange to have the dog let out. See generally Bromeland v. Iowa Dep't of Transp., 562 N.W.2d 624, 626 (Iowa 1997). Explaining the scope of this statutory right will not interfere with the chemical tests. People may be aware they have the right to a phone call, but are likely unaware of the specified people they are allowed to call. If, as here, the officer turns down the arrestee's phone call request because the request is to call someone not contemplated in the statute, the officer must explain the scope of the statutory right. Garrity requested to make a phone call. We have stated when a request for a phone call is made, the police cannot remain mute and simply deny the request. That is precisely what Cockshoot did in this situation. Once Garrity asked to call a person outside the scope of section 804.20, Cockshoot had an obligation to advise Garrity of the purpose of the phone call, i.e., who Garrity could call, and he did not do so. Didonato, 456 N.W.2d at 371. The State violated Iowa Code section 804.20. B. Exclusionary Rule. We apply the exclusionary rule to violations of Iowa Code section 804.20, whether it is a violation of the right to communicate with family or with an attorney. McAteer, 290 N.W.2d at 925. The exclusionary rule extends to the exclusion of breath tests, breath test refusals, and non-spontaneous statements obtained after unnecessary delay in allowing the person the statutory right to consult with an attorney or family member. Moorehead, 699 N.W.2d at 675. Under our rules, the test refusal must be excluded. Vietor, 261 N.W.2d at 832. The closer question is whether to exclude the DVD recording of Garrity taken at the police station. From the district court's opinion, it is evident that the court did not use statements from the DVD as the basis for its decision. Rather, the DVD was used to demonstrate Garrity's body motions, judgment, slurred speech and inability to communicate. Under this record, the exclusionary rule does not extend to the use of the recording for this purpose. C. Harmless Error. Even though the district court erred in admitting evidence of Garrity's test refusal, Garrity is not automatically entitled to a new trial. A violation of Iowa Code section 804.20 is a nonconstitutional error. See Moorehead, 699 N.W.2d at 672. Where a nonconstitutional error [i]s claimed, the test for determining whether the evidence [i]s prejudicial and therefore require[s] reversal [i]s this: Does it sufficiently appear that the rights of the complaining party have been injuriously affected by the error or that he has suffered a miscarriage of justice? State v. Sullivan, 679 N.W.2d 19, 29 (Iowa 2004) (quoting State v. Trudo, 253 N.W.2d 101, 107 (Iowa 1977)). In applying this test, we presume prejudice unless the record affirmatively establishes otherwise. Moorehead, 699 N.W.2d at 673. However, we can find harmless error when evidence obtained from a violation of Iowa Code section 804.20 would merely be cumulative. State v. Enderle, 745 N.W.2d 438, 442 (Iowa 2007). The police stopped Garrity after responding to a 911 call that identified a possible drunk driver. Garrity was actually pulled over for speeding and failure to use a turn signal. Cockshoot observed that Garrity had slurred speech and the smell of alcohol on his breath. Before Garrity asked Cockshoot to contact narcotics officer Matt Ehlers, he admitted to drinking. Garrity also failed all three field sobriety tests. The judge who entered the verdict in this case specifically stated that she observed the recording taken at the police station and determined that Garrity was intoxicated based upon his body motions, judgment, slurred speech, and inability to communicate. There is no indication that she took into consideration the content of Garrity's statements on the recording, and the test refusal was not a factor in her decision. Cf. Moorehead, 699 N.W.2d at 673 (Moorehead's high breath test result is the very first fact cited as evidence of guilt. Mindful of a defendant's right to a fair trial and just application of our rules,... it cannot be fairly said that the breath test result did not injuriously affect Moorehead's rights. The district court's error in admitting this evidence clearly prejudiced Moorehead.). We find that any violation of Garrity's rights under Iowa Code section 804.20 was harmless error. Garrity is not entitled to a new trial.