Opinion ID: 4530962
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Benson’s Confessions

Text: Detective Bolts and Investigator Hobson began interviewing Benson in an office at the San Luis Obispo County Detective Bureau around 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 9, 1986. Benson was initially detained on a parole hold based on his kidnaping of K.S. At the beginning of the interview, Bolts read Benson his Miranda rights, and Benson indicated that he understood his rights and waived them. A portable transmitter in the room monitored the conversation and relayed it to another room where other investigators 2 Benson had been interviewed briefly at his home on the afternoon of January 6, 1986. 12 BENSON V. CHAPPELL could listen to, and record, the interview. All but the initial one and one-half hour to two hours of the almost twelve-hour interview was tape-recorded. The officers initially focused on a charge of kidnapping K.S. but then shifted their focus to the events that occurred at Laura Camargo’s home in Nipomo. Bolts commented: “I think we could perhaps start anew and talk about some things that occurred Saturday night and talk some straight turkey.” Bolts continued, “I think you only realize too well that we didn’t call you in here without having done our homework.” Benson responded that he had “known that for quite awhile” and that, “as it looks right now, I’m a very suspected man.” The following colloquy ensued: Hobson: What’s going through your head right now Richard? Benson: I don’t think you’d believe it. Hobson: I’d like to believe it, try me. We sat here with you all this time and that’s why we’re still here with you, because we care also. Bolts: We’re caring, feeling, human beings and we have compassion for a lot of things and we’ve seen a lot worse, believe me, this is not the end of the line by any means. Hobson: Richard, if we didn’t care, we wouldn’t be sitting here. BENSON V. CHAPPELL 13 Benson: I don’t see, I don’t see how you can say it’s not the end of the line. Bolts: It’s not. Benson: It is for me. Bolts: Why? There’s no death penalty here. Benson: That doesn’t matter. Hobson: Wait a minute, before we talk about that, we don’t know what happened in that house . . . [.] Bolts: Exactly. We know what kind of a person Laura could be. Hobson: Laura had a temper. We know that. Maybe you were put into a position where you had to make a choice. Benson: It doesn’t matter what choices I had. Hobson: Sure it does. Benson: No, because nothing justifies the outcome. Hobson: Well, why don’t you tell us and let us decide that. Benson: The thing ot [sic] it is, I can’t. 14 BENSON V. CHAPPELL Hobson: Why? Benson: I don’t know. Hobson: You don’t know what? Benson: I don’t know what happened. Benson, 802 P.2d at 841 n.3. Benson claimed he could not tell the officers what happened because he could not remember. However, after telling the officers a number of lies, Benson admitted he committed all the murders and sexually molested Stephanie and Shawna for 30 hours before he killed them. Benson’s admissions were laced with inconsistencies about how and why he committed the acts. The officers finally terminated the interview around 11:00 p.m., returned Benson to jail, and booked him on murder and other related charges. Later that night, Benson was placed on “suicide watch” and placed naked into a small empty cell with foam rubber padded walls and a bare concrete floor—a so-called “rubber room.” Id. at 346. He was told by a jailer that he would not be released until he was cleared by “Mental Health.” Id. On the morning of January 10, 1986, Dr. Gordon of the Sexual Assault and Response Team visited Benson. Dr. Gordon testified that he told Benson that he was a doctor and he advised him of his constitutional rights including the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. Dr. Gordon stated that Benson agreed to talk to him and that Benson proceeded to describe his sexual molestation of the two girls in some detail. BENSON V. CHAPPELL 15 On January 13, 1986, Bolts and Hobson interviewed Benson for another three hours. Benson was again advised of his Miranda rights and waived them. During the interview he provided further details of the crimes. Near the end of the interview, the following dialogue transpired: Bolts: . . . [J]ust so that I’m clear, is there something that we’ve said uh, as far as, you know, threats that we’ve made to you, promises or any promises of leniency, anything that has caused you to tell us what you’ve told us? Benson: No. I’m surprised that that came up. Bolts: Well, I, it’s something that uh, you know, I’ve thought of, that maybe something that we said you interpreted as some kind of threat or promise or some . . . Benson: You know what, if you guys started whipping me with billy clubs right now, you’d see me smile, so you know that’s not uh, a . . . now, no, you guys are good at your job, I complimented you to your lieutenant about it as a matter of fact, uh, I’m glad you are, because it served in getting me off the street, you know, I feel that in some sick twisted way I helped a little, but you guys still . . . you did your job. 16 BENSON V. CHAPPELL