Opinion ID: 4407150
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Officers’ Interview of Hinson

Text: At the Police Memorial Building, JSO Detectives James Childers and Kevin Munger interviewed Hinson. The evidence from the Officers’ interviews5 of Hinson comes from their sworn declarations, the sworn declaration of Schoonover, and a video recording of the interview. In addition, we recount what Hinson testified to concerning how his wounds felt during the interviews.
We begin with the Officers’ statements. Both Munger and Childers attested that though they observed abrasions to the left side of Hinson’s face, Hinson did not appear to them at any time to be in distress or in need of immediate medical treatment. As Childers described the abrasions, they were “road[] rash,” and they were not bleeding when he saw Hinson. Childers also asserted that Hinson never requested medical attention or claimed he was in pain during Childers’s contacts with Hinson. Schoonover, who supervised Childers and Munger, stated that he saw Hinson in the interview room where Munger and Childers were interviewing him. After noticing “minor abrasions” on Hinson’s face, Schoonover asked the sergeant who was present about them. The sergeant advised Schoonover that Hinson was asked 5 The Officers interviewed Hinson twice. After Hinson’s first interview had ended, Hinson asked to speak further with the Officers, so a second interview occurred. 12 Case: 16-14112 Date Filed: 06/14/2019 Page: 13 of 38 about his facial wounds and had responded that he was “okay.” Schoonover explained that he then watched portions of Hinson’s interview, and Hinson neither appeared to be in pain nor requested medical attention during the parts Schoonover saw.
During the interviews, Hinson and the detectives discussed the abrasions on Hinson’s face, though Hinson never complained that he was in pain or asked for medical attention. Childers also asked Hinson whether he was “all right,” and Hinson responded that he was. At some point, Hinson’s wife was permitted to visit with him. During that time, the two discussed, among other things, the abrasions on Hinson’s face. Hinson’s wife repeatedly asked Hinson whether he was “okay.” Despite these topics, Hinson never said he was not physically alright, never asked his wife for medical assistance, and never complained that he was in pain. Our review of the video recordings confirmed that Hinson suffered abrasions to the left side of his face, though the wounds did not appear to be actively bleeding during the interviews. Nor did Hinson seem to be in physical pain or discomfort at any point in the interviews. Hinson also responded calmly and coherently to questions Childers and Munger asked him. At various times during the interview, Hinson rubbed and picked at the abrasions on his face without grimacing or 13 Case: 16-14112 Date Filed: 06/14/2019 Page: 14 of 38 displaying any pain. At other times, Hinson put his head in his hands or on the table—his abrasions making contact with both—and showed no signs of discomfort. Even when Hinson’s wife met him in the interview room and wiped the abrasions on his face, Hinson did not react as if he were in pain or required medical attention.
In contrast to his statements and conduct during his interviews, at his deposition, Hinson testified that during the interviews, he experienced “[a]ll types of pain” to his face and head. More specifically, Hinson claimed that he suffered “throbbing pain,” “sharp pain,” and “dull pain” and that his face and head were “sore to the touch.” He characterized his pain as a 6 or 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. But he expressly denied feeling pain to any other parts of his body while he was in the interview room.