Opinion ID: 733387
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Glover's Confession

Text: 36 Glover asserts that his confession should be suppressed because: (1) his right to cut off questioning was not scrupulously honored by the postal inspectors after he invoked his right to remain silent; and (2) even assuming that Glover waived his right to remain silent, such waiver was not voluntarily, knowingly and intelligently given. 37 Glover first contends that his right to remain silent was not scrupulously honored by law enforcement officers. Glover's argument is premised on the Supreme Court decision in Michigan v. Mosley, 423 U.S. 96, 96 S.Ct. 321, 46 L.Ed.2d 313 (1975). In Mosley, the Supreme Court addressed whether a resumption of questioning is permissible where a person in custody has invoked his right to remain silent. Id. at 101, 96 S.Ct. at 325. The Court indicated that the resolution of this issue was governed by the following passage from Miranda: If the individual indicates in any manner, at any time prior to or during questioning, that he wishes to remain silent, the interrogation must cease. Id. at 100, 96 S.Ct. at 325 (quoting Miranda, 384 U.S. at 473-74, 86 S.Ct. at 1627). Thereafter, officers can reinitiate questioning only if: (1) at the time the defendant invoked his right to remain silent, the questioning ceased; (2) a substantial interval passed before the second interrogation; (3) the defendant was given a fresh set of Miranda warnings; and (4) the subject of the second interrogation was unrelated to the first. See id. at 104-105, 96 S.Ct. at 326-327,. 38 Glover's reliance on Mosley is misplaced. The key issue addressed by Mosley is when is it permissible for police officers to initiate questioning or interrogation of a person in custody after that person has exercised her right to remain silent. What Mosley does not address are circumstances, such as those found in the case at hand, where the individual in custody, rather than the police, initiates further discussion. 39 Although the Supreme Court was focusing on a different issue, Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1981), is instructive on the issue at hand. Significantly, the Edwards Court held that a person in custody, having expressed his desire to deal with the police only through counsel, is not subject to further interrogation by the authorities until counsel has been made available to him, unless the accused himself initiates further communication, exchanges, or conversations with the police. 451 U.S. at 484-85, 101 S.Ct. at 1885 (emphasis added). Although it found that Edwards did not validly waive his right to counsel because the police had initiated the interrogation, the Court added that had Edwards initiated the meeting with the police after he had asked for an attorney the result would have been different. According to the Court, nothing in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments would prohibit the police from merely listening to [an arrestee's] voluntary, volunteered statements and using them against him at trial. Id. at 485, 101 S.Ct. at 1885. 40 Similarly, it is apparent that Glover volunteered to talk with the postal inspectors as a result of his own initiative rather than any interrogation or questioning relating to the incident by the postal inspectors. The evidence established that after Glover was arrested and indicated to the postal inspectors that he did not want to talk, all questioning of him concerning the incident ceased. Glover concedes this fact. Glover was then transported to the Box Elder County Sheriff's office where he was taken to an office rather than to an interrogation room. Glover was accompanied by several individuals, including Inspectors Wilson and, at some point, Collins. Again, Glover was not questioned by either of these two individuals, with the possible exception of Wilson's questions concerning background information. 41 At approximately 7:30 a.m., Schouten entered the room and began to talk with Glover, at which point Wilson reminded Schouten that Glover had invoked his rights. There was some confusion by the postal inspectors as to which rights he had invoked. One of the postal inspectors believed that Glover wanted an attorney. Glover then interjected by clarifying that he had not asked for an attorney, giving his reasons why, but that he had said he did not want to talk. Glover then volunteered that he wished to talk now. 6 The evidence indicates that Glover was not readvised of his Miranda rights; however, any requirement to do so would have been redundant in light of the distinction Glover offered concerning which specific right he had invoked and the knowledge that Glover was a seasoned police officer. See United States v. Pugh, 25 F.3d 669, 673 (8th Cir.1994). 42 Based on the specific facts outlined above, this court concludes Glover's right to cut off questioning was scrupulously honored after Glover invoked his right to remain silent. Furthermore, because Glover's subsequent willingness to talk was volunteered by him and did not result from interrogation or questioning initiated by the postal inspectors, the Mosley analysis urged by Glover does not apply. See United States v. Moreno-Flores, 33 F.3d 1164, 1168-70 (9th Cir.1994). Moreover, the circumstances in the case at hand merely entail a situation where Glover, informed of his rights, chose to exercise his right to control the time at which questioning occurred. There is absolutely no evidence of any efforts by the postal inspectors to wear down Glover's resistance so that he would change his mind and talk. 43 Having determined that Glover was not questioned in violation of Miranda, the question becomes whether Glover's waiver of the right to remain silent was voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently given. Miranda provides that where a suspect has been advised of his rights against self-incrimination, he may waive these rights  'provided the waiver is made voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently.'  United States v. Hernandez, 913 F.2d 1506, 1509 (10th Cir.1990) (quoting Miranda, 384 U.S. at 444, 86 S.Ct. at 1612), cert. denied, 499 U.S. 908, 111 S.Ct. 1111, 113 L.Ed.2d 220 (1991). The Supreme Court has articulated the following two requirements for a valid waiver: 44 First, the relinquishment of the right must have been voluntary in the sense that it was the product of a free and deliberate choice rather than intimidation, coercion, or deception. Second, the waiver must have been made with a full awareness of both the nature of the right being abandoned and the consequences of the decision to abandon it. 45 Moran v. Burbine, 475 U.S. 412, 421, 106 S.Ct. 1135, 1141, 89 L.Ed.2d 410 (1986). In making this determination, we evaluate the particular facts and circumstances surrounding the waiver, including the background, experience, and conduct of the accused. Johnson v. Zerbst, 304 U.S. 458, 464, 58 S.Ct. 1019, 1023, 82 L.Ed. 1461 (1938). 46 In arguing that his waiver was not voluntarily made, Glover maintains that he was subjected to (1) intimidation by Schouten, (2) coercion when his right to cut off questioning was not adhered to, and (3) deception when the postal inspectors made promises that Glover would be released on his own recognizance if he cooperated. We find Glover's arguments unconvincing. Glover was a seasoned police officer at the time of his arrest. He testified that he knew his rights under Miranda and understood that they applied to him. It is also undisputed that Glover was advised of his rights at the time he was arrested. Additionally, at the time Glover made his initial statement to the postal inspectors, no more than a couple of hours had passed since his arrest; there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that Glover was subjected to a lengthy interrogation. There is also no evidence to suggest that Glover was in any pain or that he was uncomfortable in any way. In fact, the interview with Glover took place in an office rather than an interrogation room and Glover was not handcuffed. There is essentially no evidence that Glover was intimidated or coerced into waiving his constitutional rights. 47 Glover also asserts that he was deceived into waiving his rights by a false promise of an O.R. release 7 if he cooperated. All of the postal inspectors testified that they did not recall any discussion or promises made concerning an O.R. release. Schouten and Collins did recall some discussion as to Kozak and Glover's concern about being processed in Box Elder County. Glover testified, on the other hand, that Schouten told him during his initial interview that he would be able to see a magistrate by the end of the day and that there was a possibility that he would be released on his own recognizance if he cooperated. Regardless of what representations may have been made to Glover, the key point is that Glover testified he was also told the determination of a release on his own recognizance was ultimately up to the magistrate judge. As the government points out, [a] promise to bring any cooperation on the part of the defendant to the [court's] ... attention does not constitute a coercive promise sufficient to render any subsequent statements involuntary and inadmissible. United States v. Baldacchino, 762 F.2d 170, 179 (1st Cir.1985). 48 The first requirement of a valid waiver is clearly satisfied. Glover's incriminating statements were the product of his free and deliberate choice and did not result from any acts of intimidation, coercion, or deception on the part of the postal inspectors. As to the second requirement that the waiver be made with full awareness of the right being abandoned and the potential consequences, based on the facts set forth above concerning Glover's background and experience as a police officer, there is little doubt that Glover knowingly and intelligently waived his rights. See McFadden v. Garraghty, 820 F.2d 654, 661 (4th Cir.1987) (experience as police officer relevant in determining whether defendant was familiar with Miranda and its implications and that his confessions were voluntarily made). 49