Opinion ID: 1947870
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: was the appellant's confession obtained as a result of an illegal arrest and without an intelligent waiver of his rights?

Text: Coleman contends that his confession should have been suppressed because his warrantless arrest was without probable cause and his rights' waiver was ineffective due to his age, intelligence, and inability to talk with a parent. Probable cause for arrest has been defined to be more than a bare suspicion but less evidence than would be sufficient to support a conviction. Rome v. State, 348 So.2d 1026 (Miss. 1977); Powe v. State, 235 So.2d 920 (Miss. 1970). While investigating the shooting, W.D. Hopstein found a 410-gauge paperhull shotgun shell, an uncommon shell, at the scene. He was advised that Coleman and Sims were suspects in a burglary committed a few days earlier in which a 410-gauge shotgun and paperhull shotgun shells had been taken. Deputy Hopstein then questioned the owner of the stolen shotgun, Robert Gasaway, who identified the shell found as being the same type stolen from him and placed Sims and Coleman near his house at the time the burglary was committed. Additionally, B.F. Sullivan told Hopstein that he had seen Coleman the morning after the burglary carrying what appeared to be a 410-gauge shotgun, and that he was attempting to conceal it. Hopstein also was aware that Coleman had been arrested once before for burglary. Based on all the above information and the fact that Coleman was positively recognized by Mrs. Burkett when he aimed the gun at her after shooting her husband, Hopstein ordered the arrest of the defendant. The facts known to Hopstein provided much more than a bare suspicion, and were sufficient to constitute probable cause for the arrest of Coleman. The appellant's claim that his age, intelligence, and inability to talk with a parent negated his rights' waiver is without merit. The appellant does not contend that his Miranda rights were not given, but that he was incapable of waiving those rights. Age and intelligence level are factors to be considered in determining whether a waiver and a confession are free and voluntary, but are not controlling. Saucier v. State, 328 So.2d 355 (Miss. 1976); Stewart v. State, 273 So.2d 167 (Miss. 1973); McLeod v. State, 229 So.2d 557 (Miss. 1969). Although the 16-year-old appellant here allegedly had only a fourth grade reading level, he testified during the hearing to suppress that each question on the rights' waiver had been read to him by the officers, that he answered as indicated on the rights' waiver form, and that he gave his statement after answering the waiver questions, and that he signed each page of his confession. Officers Roberson and Howell testified that the appellant understood his rights, was not abused or threatened, and knowingly and intelligently waived his rights. The evidence adequately supports the trial court's determination that the appellant was capable of and did voluntarily waive his rights, and confess.