Opinion ID: 2039539
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: admission of the statement made by defendant to detectives

Text: Defendant argues that the trial court erroneously declined to suppress the statements he made to the detectives during the interview in the Las Cruces, New Mexico, jail. We agree with the appellate court that the statements were admissible. The trial court held an evidentiary hearing and determined that the statements were voluntary. Defendant, in response to being asked if he understood the Miranda warnings and if he wished to talk, nodded affirmatively. This is evidence that defendant knowingly and voluntarily waived his right to remain silent. ( People v. Brown (1986), 146 Ill.App.3d 101, 104-05, 99 Ill. Dec. 928, 496 N.E.2d 1020.) Merely showing defendant a photograph of the crime scene would not constitute coercion. ( People v. Gorham (1978), 66 Ill.App.3d 320, 324, 23 Ill.Dec. 370, 384 N.E.2d 6.) After the detectives told defendant of the events as they believed them to be, the detectives and defendant sat silently for several minutes. Detective Costello told defendant to tell them if he did not want to talk. Defendant then began to give his statement. Based upon the evidence, the trial court could properly conclude that defendant's statement was voluntarily made and admissible.