Opinion ID: 1734908
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Tape-Recorded Statement

Text: Mantich argues the State failed to prove that his tape-recorded statement was voluntary. [T]o be admissible in evidence, an accused's statement must be shown by the State to have been freely and voluntarily given and not to have been the product of any promise or inducementdirect or indirectno matter how slight.... [T]he determination of voluntariness is based upon an assessment of all of the circumstances and factors surrounding the occurrence when the statement is made, and the determination made by the trial court ... will not be disturbed on appeal unless clearly wrong. State v. Bronson, 242 Neb. 931, 937-38, 496 N.W.2d 882, 889 (1993). This assigned error presents two issues: (1) whether this error was preserved for appeal and (2) whether Mantich's statement was voluntary. The State argues that Mantich did not preserve his challenge to the voluntariness of the statement because he did not enter a proper objection to the statement at trial. We disagree. At trial, Officer Jadlowski discussed the general outline of the interrogation and began to testify about what Mantich stated during the interrogation. Mantich's counsel said, At this time I'm going to interpose an objection. Renew all objections previously made with regard to my client's statement. The objection was overruled, and the questioning of Jadlowski continued. The State changed the line of questioning to foundation for admission of the statement. The State offered the tape recording, and Mantich's counsel stated, Objection; foundation. The objection was overruled, and the tape recording was received and played for the jury. The State argues that Mantich's first objectionrenewing his previous objections to admission of the statement, including the grounds he raised in his motion to suppressdid not carry over to preserve an objection when the statement was offered. The State contends that because Mantich's counsel did not specifically state that his second objection was for lack of voluntariness, he failed to preserve this objection to the tape-recorded statement for appeal. We find that Mantich's general objection on foundation was sufficient to preserve his objection for appeal. Neb.Rev.Stat. § 27-103 (Reissue 1989) provides: (1) Error may not be predicated upon a ruling which admits or excludes evidence unless ... (a) In case the ruling is one admitting evidence, a timely objection or motion to strike appears of record, stating the specific ground of objection, if a specific ground was not apparent from the context.... It would have been reasonably apparent to the trial court that Mantich intended to include an objection to the admissibility of the contents of the tape-recorded statement. Mantich made a proper foundational objection when the statement was offered into evidence. In order for a defendant's statement to be entered into evidence, the State must first prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the statement was voluntarily made. State v. Garza, 241 Neb. 934, 492 N.W.2d 32 (1992). The voluntariness of the statement was a foundational issue, which Mantich articulated to the court. We next consider whether Mantich's tape-recorded statement was voluntary. Mantich argues that the totality of the circumstances surrounding the interrogation demonstrate the involuntary character of the statement. He emphasizes his age, the emotional pressure of the interrogation, and the fact that he did not have his parents or an attorney present at the interrogation. Mantich also claims the officers who interrogated him obtained information by using deceptive practices. The Due Process Clause of U.S. Const. amend. XIV and the due process clause of Neb. Const. art. I, § 3, preclude admissibility of an involuntary confession. State v. Martin, 243 Neb. 368, 500 N.W.2d 512 (1993) (citing Jackson v. Denno, 378 U.S. 368, 84 S.Ct. 1774, 12 L.Ed.2d 908 (1964), and State v. Bodtke, 219 Neb. 504, 363 N.W.2d 917 (1985)). In determining whether a confession or statement is voluntary, a court must make its assessment based on an examination of all the circumstances surrounding the confession or statement. See State v. Johnson, 242 Neb. 924, 497 N.W.2d 28 (1993). The State bears the burden to prove by a preponderance of the evidence the voluntariness of any statement by a defendant offered into evidence. See State v. Garza, supra . At the suppression hearing, Officer Jadlowski testified that when Mantich was arrested, he was informed that he was being investigated in relation to the homicide of Thompson. The interrogation commenced at 10:30 p.m., and after the officers obtained preliminary biographical information, Mantich was advised of his Miranda rights at 10:35 p.m. The officers used a standard rights advisory form, and Jadlowski testified that he recorded each of Mantich's responses to the questions verbatim. According to Officer Jadlowski, Mantich responded in a coherent manner, was easy to understand, and appeared to understand what was going on. There were no inducements or promises made to Mantich in exchange for his statement. Mantich did not appear to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time he was advised of his rights, and he appeared to understand what the advisements meant. Jadlowski stated that Mantich was not threatened or coerced. Mantich did not appear to be suffering from any duress under the circumstances and did not request that the interrogation be terminated. Mantich voluntarily waived his right to counsel being present at the interrogation. Officer Jadlowski testified that Mantich's decision to waive his rights appeared to be intelligently made and that it appeared that Mantich understood what he was doing. After commencement of the interrogation, Mantich did not request to be allowed to consult with an attorney. Following the advisement of Mantich's rights, Officer Jadlowski informed Mantich that police officers were also interrogating Brunzo, Eona, and Carrera. Jadlowski told Mantich that there was not a lot of mystery as to what had happened and that he believed Mantich was involved in the crime. Jadlowski requested that Mantich explain everything that had happened. During his first account of the murder, Mantich stated that Brunzo had shot Thompson. The interrogation continued for 1 hour, and the group then took a 30-minute break. At that time, Mantich was allowed to use the restroom, and he was offered a soda, which he accepted. After the break, Officer Jadlowski told Mantich that he had just spoken with Dilly, who said that Mantich had given him a different account of the shooting. The second segment of the interrogation lasted about 1 hour. In a subsequent account of the killing, Mantich confessed to shooting Thompson. Mantich was asked if he would be willing to make a tape-recorded statement, and he agreed. The group then took a second 30-minute break at approximately 1 a.m. During the break, officers set up the tape-recording equipment. Jadlowski testified that Mantich did not appear to be tired at that time. Mantich then retold the last version of his story for purposes of the tape recording, which took about 43 minutes. After the tape-recorded statement was completed, Mantich asked to call his mother. Mantich argues that the tape-recorded statement was obtained as a result of the deceptive practices of Officer Jadlowski. At the hearing on the motion to suppress, Jadlowski admitted that he had not spoken to Dilly during the break. In fact, Jadlowski had received this information from Dilly well before Mantich's interrogation began. The test for determining admissibility of a statement obtained by police deception is whether the deception produced a false or untrustworthy confession or statement. State v. Norfolk, 221 Neb. 810, 381 N.W.2d 120 (1986). In this instance, the deception cannot be said to have produced Mantich's statement. The only deception was with regard to the time at which Jadlowski obtained the information from Dilly. The trial court was not clearly wrong in finding that the deceptive statement about the time Jadlowski had spoken to Dilly did not produce an untrustworthy confession. Mantich argues that the fact that the police taped only 43 minutes of the interrogation, which lasted approximately 2 hours 40 minutes, supports his claim that his confession was coerced. We disagree. A trial court's ruling on a motion to suppress is to be upheld on appeal unless its findings of fact are clearly erroneous. State v. Dyer, 245 Neb. 385, 513 N.W.2d 316 (1994). In determining whether a trial court's findings on a motion to suppress are clearly erroneous, the reviewing court recognizes the trial court as the trier of fact and takes into consideration that the trial court has observed the witnesses testifying regarding the motion. See id. We find nothing in the record to indicate that the trial court's findings of fact were clearly erroneous or that the court should have suppressed the tape-recorded statement given by Mantich. At trial, Mantich testified on direct examination that he was never threatened, mistreated, or promised anything by the police officers. Mantich's assignment of error has no merit.