Opinion ID: 787477
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Massiah Violation

Text: 42 If, in fact, the State placed Moore in a cell with Randolph after he indicated his willingness to cooperate with the prosecution, the State intentionally create[d] a situation likely to induce [Randolph] to make incriminating statements without counsel's assistance. United States v. Kimball, 884 F.2d 1274, 1278 (9th Cir.1989). If that is true, Oppliger and Chavez took the risk that Moore might deliberately elicit information from Randolph within the meaning of Massiah and Henry and that such information would be excluded at trial. According to Moore's testimony, that is exactly what happened. See Henry, 447 U.S. at 271, 100 S.Ct. 2183. Therefore, subject to factual determinations to be made by the district court, Randolph has potentially established a Massiah violation. 43 Our decision in Brooks v. Kincheloe, 848 F.2d 940 (9th Cir.1988), is consistent with our conclusion in this case. In Brooks, the defendant was indicted for the murder of a young boy. While he was in custody awaiting trial, he shared a cell with Kee, to whom he admitted killing the boy. When detectives found out that the defendant had confided that information to Kee, they asked Kee to tell them what Brooks had been saying and to remember anything further Brooks might tell [Kee], but promised nothing in return. Id. at 943. Kee said that he wanted to talk to his attorney first and was returned to his cell, which he shared with the defendant. A few days later, Kee provided prosecutors a written statement detailing what the defendant had said to him. The statement included information that the defendant had revealed to Kee after the initial meeting with prosecutors. After Kee provided prosecutors with the statement, he was moved to another jail and given $100. Id. at 942. 44 We concluded that all of the defendant's incriminating statements could be used at trial, including those made to Kee after he met with detectives. The court found that Brooks had confessed his responsibility for the murder to Kee before Kee met with detectives, that the detectives did not request Kee to elicit any information from defendant, and that Kee was not used by the police to carry out any deliberate and surreptitious investigation of defendant. Id. at 944-45. We refused to disturb the state court findings of fact that Kee was not a government agent at the time that Brooks made the incriminating statements concerning the murder.... While these findings indicate that Kee did take action beyond mere listening, they also clearly demonstrate that he did this before the detectives talked to him. Id. at 945. 45 In this case, however, there is substantial evidence to support a conclusion that Oppliger and Chavez knew or should have known that Moore believed that he would receive leniency if he elicited incriminating statements from Randolph, circumstances sufficient to make Moore a government agent. Further, there is substantial evidence that, after meeting with Oppliger and Chavez, Moore took affirmative steps to elicit information from Randolph. This evidence of government action designed deliberately to elicit incriminating remarks removes this case from the purview of Brooks.