Opinion ID: 2206372
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Alleged Compulsion

Text: Graham argues that the trial judge erred in admitting the statements given to Patterson without considering whether sufficient compulsion existed to amount to a violation of his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. Without reaching an opinion as to whether the balancing test concerning the interests of public justice exception necessarily involves a consideration of whether an element of compulsion exists, we conclude Graham's argument fails because no such compulsion existed in this case. In determining that no compulsion existed, we examine three Supreme Court precedents. In Oregon v. Mathiason, 429 U.S. 492, 493, 97 S.Ct. 711, 50 L.Ed.2d 714 (1977), a police officer asked Mathiason, who was suspected of burglary, if he could meet with the officer at the police station. Mathiason voluntarily came to the station, and was told that he was not under arrest. Id. In this interview, Mathiason confessed. Id. The Supreme Court held that this was not a custodial interrogation because there was no indication that Mathiason's freedom to depart was restricted in any way. Id. at 495, 97 S.Ct. 711. In Estelle v. Smith, 451 U.S. 454, 456-57, 101 S.Ct. 1866, 68 L.Ed.2d 359 (1981), a defendant in a murder trial was ordered by the trial court to undergo psychiatric evaluation in order to determine if he was fit to stand trial. Once convicted, the same psychiatrist who examined the defendant before trial testified against him. Id. at 458-60, 101 S.Ct. 1866. The Court held that [a] criminal defendant, who neither initiates a psychiatric evaluation nor attempts to introduce any psychiatric evidence, may not be compelled to respond to a psychiatrist if his statements can be used against him at a capital sentencing proceeding. Id. at 468, 101 S.Ct. 1866. In Ohio Adult Parole Authority v. Woodard, 523 U.S. 272, 285-88, 118 S.Ct. 1244, 140 L.Ed.2d 387 (1998), [6] the Supreme Court held that an inmate's voluntary participation in a clemency hearing did not constitute a compulsion under the Fifth Amendment. This was true despite the fact that Ohio guaranteed only one clemency hearing, and silence on certain questions could be used against the prisoner. Id. at 286, 118 S.Ct. 1244. The Court specifically stated, It is difficult to see how a voluntary interview could `compel' respondent to speak. Id. Estelle can be distinguished from both Mathiason and Woodard in that the latter two cases involved an interview that was voluntary. By contrast, Estelle involved a court-ordered evaluation. Thus, while the defendants in Mathiason and Woodard were not compelled to speak, the defendant in Estelle was so compelled. The case of State v. Smith, 933 S.W.2d 450 (Tenn.1996), presents issues very similar to this case. There, the defendant engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with his stepdaughter. Id. at 452. After the defendant informed his wife, the two voluntarily reported the incident to the Tennessee Department of Human Services, who suggested the defendant seek counseling. Id. The defendant sought counseling, and admitted his transgressions to a counselor. Id. at 453. The counselor testified against the defendant in a subsequent trial. Id. The court found that the defendant was not in custody because he was free to leave each counseling session; therefore, the admission of the counselor's testimony did not violate the defendant's right against self-incrimination. Id. at 454. Further, the court held that the suggestion that the defendant seek counseling did not amount to a compulsion to admit his wrongs. Id. at 456. In this case, the evidence presented both at the suppression hearing and during trial demonstrates that Graham was not compelled to incriminate himself. Graham went to the shelter on his own volition. As such, it was a voluntary act. The record is devoid of any evidence to show Graham was not free to depart from the interview at any time. Graham urges this court to find compulsion because he was seeking admission to a homeless shelter in Northwest Washington. Graham argues that he was required to speak with Patterson in order to be allowed to stay at the shelter. This, however, does not defeat the voluntariness of his conduct. Graham was still free to leave at any time. Indeed, Graham testified that on the night of March 27th, two days before speaking with Patterson, he did stay at a different homeless shelter in Northeast Washington. Further, there is no evidence on the record that Graham actually would have been denied access to the shelter if he had not complied with the interview. In this instance, the homeless shelter did more than just provide a bed in which to sleep. The shelter sought to provide to those seeking refuge any special health care they may have needed. So, the shelter required information. In order to fulfill its role, then, the shelter may have needed to ask questions that could tend to incriminate those who seek shelter. Because these questions were relevant to the shelter's responsibilities, and because the questions were not being asked in conjunction with a specific threat of criminal prosecution, no Fifth Amendment violation occurred. Asherman v. Meachum, 957 F.2d 978, 982 (2d Cir.1992).