Opinion ID: 167116
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Characteristics of accused.

Text: 32 In determining whether Lopez's confession was involuntary, we also consider Lopez's personal characteristics. See Toles, 297 F.3d at 966. The record contains little evidence to indicate that Lopez was unusually susceptible to coercion because of age, lack of education, or intelligence. Id. (quotation omitted). Lopez was thirty-three years old and had completed the eleventh grade. There is nothing to suggest that he has a limited intelligence. Id. Further, Lopez had been arrested and given Miranda warnings on earlier occasions, indicating that he had previous experience with the criminal justice system. Toles, 297 F.3d at 966. 33 During this interview, however, Lopez was suffering from the beating he had received two days earlier, when he was not in police custody. Nevertheless, Lopez does not suggest that these injuries affected his decision to confess. Cf. United States v. Morris, 287 F.3d 985, 987-89 (10th Cir.2002) (holding hospitalized suspect was not mentally impaired, and knowingly and voluntarily waived his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, even though suspect had been in hospital for ten days after being shot twice and was taking mild painkiller). Moreover, there is no evidence that the agents withheld his medication in an effort to coerce [Lopez's] confession or took any other actions to use Lopez's injuries to coerce his confession. McGregor v. Gibson, 219 F.3d 1245, 1254 (10th Cir.2000), overruled on others grounds on reh'g en banc, 248 F.3d 946 (10th Cir.2001). 34 Lopez's personal characteristics, therefore, do not suggest he was unusually susceptible to coercion. 35