Opinion ID: 1800634
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to support motion to suppress confession

Text: ¶ 22. Hodges first argues that trial counsel was ineffective where he made a motion to suppress Hodges's confession, but did not properly support the motion with sufficient evidence so that it would be granted. Keven Pitre, Lowndes County Sheriff Department, took Hodges's statement in which he confessed to shooting Isaac Johnson. Hodges claims that Pitre testified at Hodges's preliminary hearing that he told Hodges that he was facing a possible death sentence or life imprisonment for shooting Johnson. Hodges argues that Pitre then testified at the suppression hearing that Hodges didn't ask any questions before signing the statement and rights form. Hodges raised this allegation of inconsistent testimony on direct appeal. This Court found that Pitre did not give inconsistent testimony, as the preliminary hearing testimony dealt with Hodges's answers once he was being questioned, while the suppression hearing testimony dealt with Hodges's conduct while being read his rights, before the questioning began, and counsel was not deficient. Hodges, 912 So.2d at 760-61.