Opinion ID: 2088997
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the motion to suppress identification testimony

Text: Shortly after the robbery, Dawkins was taken to the Miriam Hospital for treatment of his gunshot wound. The next morning, May 6, 1982, Detective John A. McCaughey (McCaughey) showed Dawkins an array of six photographs. Dawkins examined the photographs and selected a picture of defendant, Tony E. Lemon (Lemon), identifying Lemon as the robber. Both Dawkins and McCaughey testified without equivocation that no suggestion was made to Dawkins concerning which of the photographs was that of the assailant. These pictures were Polaroid black-and-white photographs approximately five inches by eight inches in size. Dawkins corroborated McCaughey's testimony by identifying at trial the array of six Polaroid pictures that he had initialed. Dawkins also testified on cross-examination that on the night of the robbery he had been shown the same array of photographs by a detective whose name he could not recall and that he had, on that occasion, selected defendant's picture without any suggestion. He was then transported by the fire department rescue vehicle to Miriam Hospital. The trial justice questioned whether the first photographic array was shown to Dawkins but, in any event, made the following finding of fact: In all of those cases [referring to prior decisions of this court and of the Supreme Court of the United States] what is prohibited is a suggested identification or an identification that is hedged with hints and direction from the police. We don't have that here. The State's burden is to show by clear and convincing evidence that the identification made by the victim of the defendant is an untainted identification  untainted by suggestion or anything of that nature. And I'm satisfied here that the State has more than met its burden of proof. I'm satisfied here by more than the required clear and convincin [sic] evidence that the identification made by the victim of this defendant is one that is based upon his independent recollection, aside from the viewing of the photographs    [a]nd accordingly, I see no reason here to conclude in any way, shape or fashion, that the identification made is in any way caused by anything that the officers did, or said, and for that reason, the defendant's motion to suppress is denied. The defendant argues that the trial justice's comment concerning the independent source was irrelevant and that it caused the trial justice not to make any findings concerning the pretrial photographic array. We agree that the statement of the trial justice about an independent source was irrelevant and would only become pertinent in the event that the trial justice found that the photographic array or arrays were suggestive. Only then would the independent-source rule become relevant as it would relate to an in-court identification. Gilbert v. California, 388 U.S. 263, 87 S.Ct. 1951, 18 L.Ed.2d 1178 (1967). The defendant further points out correctly that a photographic array or a pretrial identification that is relied upon by the prosecution at trial prevents application of the independent-source rule. Moore v. Illinois, 434 U.S. 220, 98 S.Ct. 458, 54 L.Ed.2d 424 (1977). However, these arguments, although based on correct legal principles, completely ignore the finding of the trial justice in this case. That finding clearly and succinctly states that the prosecution proved by clear and convincing evidence that there was no suggestiveness in any action by police officers in respect to the photographic array presented either on May 5, 1982 (assuming that such a presentation took place), or on May 6, 1982. Counsel for defendant relies on certain inconsistencies in the recollection of the victim, but these inconsistencies did not impress the trial justice in his clear and definite finding of fact. As we stated in another case involving this same defendant, the finding by the trial justice that there was no suggestiveness in the photographic array or arrays satisfies the first step in the analysis required by Manson v. Brathwaite, 432 U.S. 98, 107-14, 97 S.Ct. 2243, 2249-53, 53 L.Ed.2d 140, 149-54 (1977). See State v. Lemon, ___ R.I. ___, ___, 478 A.2d 175, 178 (1984). Therefore, it was unnecessary for the trial justice even to consider the independent-source rule. His reference to that rule may be regarded as mere surplusage unnecessary to his decision on the motion to suppress. An examination of the record in the case discloses overwhelming evidence in support of the trial justice's finding of no suggestivity. The conjecture raised by defendant regarding the first photographic array shown to defendant by an unknown detective is wholly insufficient to vitiate or diminish the trial justice's finding. Consequently, there was no error in the trial justice's denial of the motion to suppress the pretrial identification based upon photographic presentation.