Opinion ID: 1860921
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the motion to suppress the statement of the defendant

Text: Prior to trial the defendant made a motion to suppress a statement given to investigators while he was incarcerated pending a trial on other charges. The grounds for suppression were that the statement given was in violation of the Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights to counsel and the privilege against self-incrimination. After a hearing, the trial judge denied the motion. Specifically, Bell contended that his written statement (1) was not voluntarily given; (2) was given in the absence of effective Miranda warnings and without an effective waiver; and (3) was not substantially recorded in the words he used. The statement in question was given by Bell on January 15, 1977. This was the same day the body of Danny Haden was located, after having been missing for some six or seven months. The statement in its entirety was subsequently introduced into evidence. The statement was preceded by a written waiver of Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights and was essentially identical to defendant's testimony at trial, except that in the statement he denied having gone into the woods with the victim and McFarland. At the pre-trial suppression hearing, Detective Sergeant Gerald Rice of the Hattiesburg Police Department testified that he was present when the statement was made, and that it was freely and voluntarily given without coercion or promises on the part of the law enforcement officials. The statement itself was introduced into evidence. The statement was preceded by a written waiver of rights signed by Bell and witnessed by Arlon Moulds and Gerald Rice as was the statement. During the hearing, Bell, on cross-examination, testified himself that (1) he signed the statement; (2) he understood his rights at the time; (3) the persons present did not physically abuse him, nor coerce him, nor promise any reward; and (4) he gave and signed the statement freely and voluntarily. Based on his own testimony, there can be no doubt that the statement as given was given voluntarily and with full knowledge of his rights at that time. Bell also contended at the pre-trial hearing that the statement was not couched in his language, but in that of the investigating officers. The only evidence presented at the hearing on that issue was the testimony of the defendant. He testified that he did not use the word Hercules in his statement and that he did not know where the City of Laurel was located. Within the statement was the sentence, So they changed places again and Bobby drove past the Hercules going like to town ... Another sentence stated then Bobby drove on up through Laurel and later we came back to Hattiesburg. In the first instance, neither word is material to the content of the statement, nor would they vary the meaning of the statement. In the second instance, Arlon Moulds who witnessed the statement testified that he furnished the name of the plant and street names from his knowledge of the area, as Bell described each location. We cannot say from the record that the changes were substantial or significant enough to justify suppression of the statement. The final contention of defendant is that the statement should be suppressed based upon an alleged earlier violation of his constitutional rights. At the hearing, Bell testified that approximately one month and a half prior to his statement ( e.g., December 2, 1976), he was beaten and coerced by police officers in an attempt to get him to show the officers the location of the body of Danny Haden. According to Bell, on the night of December 2 there was an attempted jail break and in the course of that, Bell was taken to the second floor of the jail complex where he was assaulted by some nine or ten police officers. According to him, one of them asked where the body was. Subsequently, according to Bell, the officers took him out in search of the body in the early morning of December 3 and that both he and Caesar Posey were threatened that the officers would kill them if they did not give the location of the body. According to Bell, three more trips were made, two on December 3 and on December 4. However, no statement was given by Bell or Posey at that time. In rebuttal, the state put on Detective Sergeant Rice, Deputy Sheriff Joe Hopstein, Investigator Arlon Moulds, Deputy Sheriff Frank Evans and Deputy Sheriff William Martin. Deputy Sheriff Hopstein as well as Deputy Sheriff Evans testified that Bell went on the search freely and voluntarily. Each denied any knowledge of physical abuse or threats. In the first instance, based on the conflicting testimony as to the occurrences, we are unable to say the trial judge was wrong in finding there were no abuses. Additionally, no statements were made or sought to be introduced by the state as to these events. On the contrary, all references to these events at the trial on the merits were raised by the defendant himself. Appellant attempts to argue that the holding of the Supreme Court in Brewer v. Williams, 430 U.S. 387, 97 S.Ct. 1232, 51 L.Ed.2d 424 (1977) mandates suppression of the statement. This argument fails for two reasons: (1) Unlike in Brewer, the interrogation produced neither an incriminating statement which the state sought to introduce at trial nor did it produce the body of the deceased; and (2) Here the statement which was introduced at trial was given some one and one-half months later and was a product of defendant's express knowing, intelligent and voluntary waiver of his rights.