Opinion ID: 1726381
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: N.A.'s Initial Statement to the Police

Text: Warsame argues that the district court incorrectly concluded that N.A.'s initial, volunteered statement that her boyfriend beat her up was nontestimonial because N.A.'s primary concern in making the statement was to supply information relevant to criminal prosecution. According to Wilson's testimony, when N.A. made the statement, she was walking toward the police station to report the assault. Volunteered statements may be testimonial. See Davis/Hammon, 126 S.Ct. at 2274 n. 1. But in this case, the objective circumstances surrounding N.A.'s initial statement indicate that she did not make the statement to Officer Wilson with the prosecution of Warsame in mind. After having been struck on the head with a pan and choked, N.A. attempted to call 911 but was unable to do so because the telephone lines in her home had been cut. N.A. left her home and took to the street with injuries at a time when she was in obvious distress and when Warsame was still at large. These are not circumstances indicating that N.A.'s primary purpose for talking to the police was to prosecute Warsame, as that purpose could have been achieved after she recovered for a period of time and sought medical attention. Instead, N.A. was seeking help by walking to the police department, located approximately two blocks from her home. We conclude that N.A.'s initial, volunteered statement is nontestimonial and therefore admissible at Warsame's trial.