Opinion ID: 173146
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: wilson’s state adult court proceedings

Text: On September 21, 1998, as a result of Judge Chappelle’s certification order, the 4 On June 25, 1998, Wilson’s mother sought and obtained an emergency protective order against Wilson. In her petition for a protective order, she alleged: My son told me he would kill me if I tried to have him locked up. He was yelling at me in my face. He raised his hand to hit me. He said he would have me killed. I suspect he is in a gang, so I take his threats seriously. In the past, he has beaten me to the ground. He kicked me, hit me with his fists and tried to strangle me. He did this because I tried to get him to wake up and go to his juv[enile] court hearing. He has a long juv[enile] record. (R. Vol. 1, Doc. 1 at 56.) -8- State charged Wilson with Accessory to First Degree Murder in adult court. The case was assigned to District Court Judge Singer. A month later, the State filed an amended information against Wilson adding First Degree Murder5 to the pending Accessory to First Degree Murder charge. Wilson filed an application for reverse certification. On November 4, 1998, Judge Singer held a hearing on the reverse certification application as well as a preliminary hearing to determine whether there was probable cause to believe a crime was committed and Wilson committed it. See Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 22, § 258 (“The purpose of the preliminary hearing is to establish probable cause that a crime was committed and probable cause that the defendant committed the crime.”). Wilson was represented by Michael French at the hearing. Judge Singer first heard evidence from the State concerning whether there was probable cause to bind Wilson over on the charges. The State called Knighten’s sister, Officer Brisbin and Detective McDonald as witnesses. Relevant here, McDonald first testified as to the incriminating statements Wilson made to him after Wilson and his mother had signed the notification and waiver of rights form. He then testified as to the incriminating statements Wilson had made earlier, when he was only considered a witness, not a suspect (i.e., before his mother was called and the notification and waiver of rights form was signed). French objected to the latter testimony under Okla. Stat. Ann. 5 As stated previously, a 13-year-old charged with First Degree Murder is required to be tried as an adult. See supra at 5. Therefore, there was no need to hold an adult certification hearing on that charge. -9- tit. 10, § 7303-3.1, which, at the time Wilson made the statements, prohibited the admission of any information gained by the custodial interrogation of a child unless the interrogation occurred in the presence of a parent/guardian and the child and parent/guardian were advised of the child’s rights. See Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 10, § 7303- 3.1 . Through a series of questions, the State clarified that McDonald did not consider Wilson to be in custody when he made the initial statements because he was only a witness and was free to leave. At the conclusion of McDonald’s testimony, Judge Singer asked for argument on whether there was probable cause to bind Wilson over for trial on the charges. French responded: “First, Your Honor, I have a question as to whether there [are] special considerations as to what merits the custodial—or what defines custodial interrogation as to a juvenile versus what would constitute custodial interrogation?” (Appellant’s Reply Br., Ex. 1 at 47.) The court responded: I can’t answer your question. If you have law to present or comments to make or to present to the Court, I would be glad to entertain it, take it under advisement. I will take motions to suppress as something that was requested instanter by you . . . . I’m assuming you’re going to demur to the evidence, but go ahead and please make your argument.