Opinion ID: 1958968
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Miranda Question.

Text: We first address the admissibility in evidence of a statement defendant made, shortly after his arrest, to Detective Shuman of the State Police. Defendant contends that his statement was taken in violation of his right to have an attorney present during custodial interrogation. Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966). That issue was raised by motion before trial and was disposed of at a suppression hearing on May 3, 1984. Detective Shuman testified at that hearing on direct examination regarding the right-to-counsel portion of the Miranda warnings: A. ... I said, you have an absolute right to a lawyer before questioning and the presence of a lawyer with you during questioning. Do you understand that? I got the answer from Mr. Murphy that he understood and I was insulting him and I did not have to ask him those questions. He understood he could have a lawyer if he wanted one and if he couldn't afford one he did not have to answer any questions without one. I went on, if you cannot afford a lawyer one will be furnished free for you before any questioning if you desire. I asked if he understood that and his answer was that he understood that if he could not afford one one would be obtained for him. On the back of the Miranda I asked the two waiver questions. If he understood each of the rights I gave him and he said yes and I said having these rights in mind do you wish to talk to us now without a lawyer present and he said, sure, he would talk to us. No problem. Q. Then you proceeded to conduct an interview with him? A. Yes, I did. At the probable cause hearing some two years earlier, the detective had also testified: I continued on that, If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be furnished to you free before any questioning, if you desire. I asked him if he understood that. Hehis response was, Yes. He said, I don't need a court-appointed lawyer; I'm gonna get one. I said, Do you understand what that last line meant? And he said, Yes; that if I can't afford one, one will be furnished. At the suppression hearing, Shuman affirmed the accuracy of his earlier testimony. The suppression justice found that defendant's statement was taken during a custodial interrogation following defendant's voluntary waiver of his right to have an attorney present. That determination must be allowed to stand if there is evidence in the record that rationally supports it. State v. Schueler, 488 A.2d 481, 484 (Me.1985). The preceding quotations from the record make clear that defendant understood his right to an attorney and agreed to speak to the police without his lawyer being present. His comment that he was gonna get his own attorney was given in the context of the question whether he needed to have counsel appointed for him. At no time did he ever express a present desire to have the assistance of counsel. The suppression justice was correct in refusing to suppress defendant's post-arrest statement.