Opinion ID: 2081189
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: special concurrence in part

Text: There were thirty-one explicit Findings of Fact and seventeen Conclusions of Law formally entered herein upon which the trial court predicated its order of April 26, 1983, containing twelve specific paragraphs. This suppression motion was ably tried and decided. I concur, in all matters, in this Court's decision to affirm the trial court's ruling on not reopening the suppression hearing, the Lyle interview in Oregon, the Imberi-Erickson interview in Oregon, and the Captain Thompson conversation-demonstration in Aberdeen. Having served five years on this Court, I note from appellate records and take judicial notice thereof, of the deep involvement by the Attorney General's Office in investigating sensational criminal cases to such extent that certain Assistant Attorney Generals or Special Prosecutors place themselves in a position of being witnesses. Later, they argue and/or brief the cases on appeal. It becomes difficult to determine whether they act in the role of (1) witness, or (2) detective, or (3) trial counsel, or (4) appellate counsel. This dual and sometimes triple function has triggered ethical considerations, at least one major reversal in a homicide case begetting disciplinary action on file in this Court, and in this case finds counsel for the defense accusing the Assistant Attorney General of, out and out, talking to this client, full well knowing that the defendant was his client, and failing to honor the attorney-client relationship. For a case involving ethical considerations of a special prosecutor acting as an Assistant Attorney General, see State v. Brandenburg, 344 N.W.2d 702 (S.D.1984). Speaking in Michigan v. Mosley, 423 U.S. 96, 96 S.Ct. 321, 46 L.Ed.2d 313 (1975), the United States Supreme Court stated that the requests of defendant to have counsel present and to remain silent, once made, must be scrupulously honored. Accord: State v. Strickland, 209 Neb. 133, 306 N.W.2d 600 (1981). Once an attorney is requested, the interrogation must cease (even if by and through the direction of an Assistant Attorney General) until an attorney is present and the individual has been given the right to confer with his requested attorney and to have the attorney present. State v. Cody, 293 N.W.2d 440 (S.D.1980). See also Code of Professional Responsibility, DR 7-104 COMMUNICATING WITH ONE OF ADVERSE INTEREST (A)(1), SDCL 16-18, Appx. Simply put, a practicing lawyer cannot contact another lawyer's client unless there is a consent. There was no consent in this case.