Opinion ID: 2323460
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Use of Suppressed Statement

Text: On March 21, 1984, a week prior to his arrest, the defendant was interviewed by two police detectives. Following his arrest, the defendant moved to suppress the statement he had given at that interview. The record of the suppression hearing discloses that the court made an oral finding that the defendant's statement was not voluntary and granted his motion to suppress. We note at the outset that any issue as to whether this finding was erroneous is not before us. The State did not avail itself of the mechanism provided by 15 M.R.S.A. § 2115-A (1980 & Supp.1985-1986) to appeal the order and has not otherwise contested the finding. In its subsequent written order the court, without specifying the ground for suppression, stated that the defendant's motion to suppress was granted and that the State could not use the statement as a part of its case in chief. Because due process requires that a confession shown to be involuntary may not be used for any purpose, the limited scope of the suppression order was erroneous. Mincey v. Arizona, 437 U.S. 385, 396-402, 99 S.Ct. 2408, 57 L.Ed.2d 290 (1978); State v. Melvin, 390 A.2d 1024, 1031 (Me.1978). However, so long as the State did not use the statement, the error was harmless. See M.R.Crim.P. 52(a). It was also unpreserved because the defendant never requested the court to correct the order. See M.R.Crim.P. 36; D. Cluchey & M. Seitzinger, 1 Maine Criminal Practice § 36.1 (1985) (the orders of the court ... may be amended to reflect what was actually done). At trial the State used the involuntary statement on cross-examination of the defendant to impeach his credibility. The defendant did not object to the questions or bring to the attention of the court the finding of involuntariness or the suppression order. The State contends that the conviction should not be set aside despite its use of the involuntary statement. First, the State notes that it was represented at the suppression hearing by a prosecutor other than the prosecutor who appeared at trial, whereas the same defense counsel appeared at both proceedings. We ascribe no significance to these facts. The district attorney and the assistant district attorneys act as counsel for the State. 30 M.R. S.A. §454 (1978), § 554-A(1) (Supp.1985-1986). The district attorney or someone acting under his direction shall be responsible for the prosecution of all criminal cases. § 502 (1978). When a federal prosecutor claimed to be unaware of a promise of immunity made by a member of his staff, a unanimous Supreme Court declared: The prosecutor's office is an entity and as such it is the spokesman for the Government. A promise made by one attorney must be attributed ... to the Government. Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150, 154, 92 S.Ct. 763, 31 L.Ed.2d 104, 109 (1972). See also Standards for Criminal Justice § 3-1.1(a) (2d ed.1980) (The office of prosecutor is charged with responsibility for prosecutions in its jurisdiction.). There can be no contention that the assistant district attorney's knowledge of the finding of involuntariness was not the knowledge of the State. Cf. M.R.Crim.P. 16(b) (discovery obligation of State's attorney extends to matters within the possession or control of any member of his staff); State v. One 1977 Blue Ford Pick-Up Truck, 447 A.2d 1226, 1230-31 (Me.1982) (notice of judgment provided to the district attorney's office constitutes notice to the district attorney). Second, the State contends that if its use of the suppressed statement in cross-examination of the defendant constitutes error, it was harmless. The State correctly notes that in light of the defendant's failure to object the conviction may be set aside only if the use of the involuntary statement constituted obvious error affecting substantial rights. M.R.Evid. 103(d); M.R.Crim.P. 52(b). The `obvious error' test calls for the reviewing court to apply its best judgment to all the circumstances of the case at hand to determine whether inadmissible evidence received at trial without objection was in its probable effect upon the jury `a seriously prejudicial error tending to produce manifest injustice.' State v. True, 438 A.2d 460, 467 (Me.1981), quoting State v. Baker, 409 A.2d 216, 219 (Me.1979). The appellate court must be reluctant to reverse a judgment on the basis of an error not brought to the attention of the trial court. Weighing all the circumstances, we must determine whether the obviousness of the error and the seriousness of the injustice are so great we cannot in good conscience let the conviction stand. True, 438 A.2d at 469. Here the written order of the suppression hearing justice was erroneous as a matter of law, violating unambiguous decisions of this court and the United States Supreme Court. The use of the suppressed statement at trial was highly prejudicial. The State questioned the defendant as to whether during the police interview he had (a) denied the existence of certain identifying marks on his body that could not have been seen on a fully clothed person, (b) claimed to have an active sex life with his wife, and (c) stated that the victim had offered herself to him for money. By these questions the State strongly suggested that the defendant had made a series of statements on direct examination that were inconsistent with statements he had made to the police. The questions further suggested that the defendant had attempted to deny the identifying body markings and to create justifications or alibis. In light of the nature of the charges and the extended period of years between the events and the trial the issue before the jury essentially involved the relative credibility of two witnesses, the victim and the defendant. Thus, the State's extensive improper questioning served to undermine sharply the defendant's credibility at a trial in which credibility was the decisive issue. In light of the decisive significance here of credibility we cannot say on these facts that the jury would have found the defendant guilty in the absence of the State's use of the involuntary statement. True, 438 A.2d at 469. Since a reasonable possibility exists that a different verdict would have resulted if the involuntary statement had not been used, we find manifest error and accordingly vacate the judgment. See State v. Michaud, 473 A.2d 399, 404 (Me. 1984), quoting State v. Bahre, 456 A.2d 860, 865 (Me.1983). The entry is: Judgment of conviction on Count I vacated; remanded to the Superior Court for further proceedings consistent with the opinion herein. Judgment of conviction on Count II vacated; remanded to the Superior Court for entry of judgment of acquittal. All concurring.