Opinion ID: 1747099
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: introduction of inculpatory statementsii

Text: In assignment of error no. 5, defendant challenges the introduction into evidence of four inculpatory statements. The statements divide into three categories. Defendant gave the first statement to a U.S. law enforcement officer in Mexico immediately after his arrest. He gave two further statements to Mexican authorities in the days following his arrest, the first an oral statement to a police official and the second a formal written confession. Finally, he made a statement to U.S. authorities after his return to the United States. Defendant argues that the court should have admitted none of the statements, the first three because they resulted from beatings delivered by Mexican authorities and so were not freely and voluntarily given, and the fourth because defendant gave it after he indicated that he wished questioning to cease and to have an attorney present. However, under relevant federal and Louisiana jurisprudence, admission of the statements presents no error. As to the first three statements, although defendant correctly points out that under LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 703(D), the state has the burden of proving the admissibility of a purported confession, and further points out that under LSA-R.S. 15:451, that burden includes proving that the inculpatory statement was free and voluntary, and not made under the influence of fear, duress, [or] intimidation, the state did meet its burden. In addition, defendant volunteered the fourth statement while not under interrogation according to relevant federal and Louisiana jurisprudence, and so the court did not err in admitting it. Testimony varied on the circumstances of defendant's arrest and first inculpatory statement. At the second hearing held on the motion to suppress, defendant's Mexican wife claimed that some 12 policemen burst into the house she shared with defendant and beat him for 30 minutes before taking him outside. At that hearing, defendant claimed that the police hit him a few times and then dragged him outside; he also claimed that he never even saw American law enforcement officials. On the other hand, Terrebonne Parish detective Bourgeois testified that he, along with Terrebonne Parish detective Radue, observed the arrest. In Bourgeois' version, the Mexican police were in the house a minute or less. The Americans read defendant his Miranda rights, then Bourgeois left the scene. At trial, Detective Radue testified that the police were in defendant's house for two or three minutes; that defendant gave no sign of having been beaten and showed no blood; that he and Bourgeois read him his Miranda rights, which defendant indicated he understood; and that defendant thereupon confessed to killing the two victims. Mexican police Commandante Acosta testified at the first hearing that the officers were inside the house two to six minutes, and they did not need to use much force because they caught defendant by surprise. Likewise, testimony varied on the circumstances surrounding the two inculpatory statements given to Mexican authorities. Defendant bases his claims of involuntariness on his contention that Mexican officials beat him not only at his arrest but also in the three subsequent days when he was in Mexican custody. He testified to that effect at the first hearing on the motion to suppress. Three other defense witnesses also testified that Mexican police had beaten defendant; one claimed to have seen the police beating defendant. In addition, the U.S. Federal Public Defender's Office took pictures of defendant on his arrival in El Paso. The pictures show marks on defendant's torso and arms which defendant claims are the results of beatings and electric shock used to induce his confession. The state countered this testimony with testimony from police who interviewed him soon after his return to the United States, and documents and photographs generated at that time. At the second motion to suppress hearing, F.B.I. agent Kline testified, and at trial both he and F.B.I. agent Van Gent testified, that defendant showed no signs of illness or injury; a form they filled out shows the same. Commandante Acosta testified that defendant was not beaten. In both of the above situations, involving all three inculpatory statements, the testimony presented the district court with varying contentions about the circumstances of defendant's arrest and confinement in Mexico. The district court evaluated the conflicting testimony and found that nothing showed that the confessions were not voluntary. This court, in reviewing the district court's finding of admissibility, must apply the deferential standard of review set out in State v. Baylis, 388 So.2d 713 (La.1980), which calls for an appellate court not to disturb conclusions of a trial court as to the credibility of witnesses and the weight of testimony relating to voluntariness [of a confession].... unless they are not supported by the evidence. 388 So.2d at 716. Applying this standard to the three inculpatory statements obtained in Mexico requires affirming the district court admission of the statements because evidence of voluntariness supports the trial judge's conclusions as to all three statements. The fourth inculpatory statement implicates a different aspect of law. Defendant and the state agree that after his return to the United States, while in F.B.I. custody in El Paso and after an F.B.I. agent read him his Miranda rights, defendant asked to see an attorney and remain silent. At that point, questioning continued, but only as to routine background matters such as age, marital status, and the like. When asked by Agent Van Gent, as part of a series of background questions, to give the name of any previous wives, defendant gave Kelly's name, and then stated, That's the reason I'm here. I caught her with another man. Van Gent testified that he did not know the details of defendant's case, or that a former wife's murder figured in it. Defendant claims that the state obtained the fourth inculpatory statement in violation of Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966) and its progeny. This court's recent decision in State v. Abadie, 612 So.2d 1 (La.1993), applies directly to defendant's claim. There, the court noted that under Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1981) and Minnick v. Mississippi, 498 U.S. 146, 111 S.Ct. 486, 112 L.Ed.2d 489 (1990), when an accused has asked for counsel he is not subject to further custodial interrogation without counsel present ... unless the accused himself initiates further communication, exchanges, or conversations with the police. 612 So.2d at 2. However, the court also limited the term `interrogation' under Miranda  to words or actions on the part of the police (other than those normally attendant on arrest and custody) that the police should know are reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response from the suspect. Abadie, 612 So.2d at 6, citing Rhode Island v. Innis, 446 U.S. 291, 100 S.Ct. 1682, 64 L.Ed.2d 297 (1980). Abadie calls for a reviewing court to apply an objective test, which prohibits all police conduct leading a defendant reasonably to believe that the police are trying to get him to make an incriminating response. 612 So.2d at 6. Under this objective test, the F.B.I. agent's questioning about administrative matters should not have led defendant to conclude the police sought an inculpatory statement. In addition, the routine questions constituted words or actions normally attendant on arrest and custody. Considering the nature of the questions and the context in which they were asked, they did not constitute investigating interrogation prohibited by Edwards v. Arizona and Abadie. Defendant's argument about the fourth inculpatory statement, like his arguments about the three earlier inculpatory statements, thus fails. We find that all four inculpatory statements were properly admitted. This assignment of error lacks merit.