Opinion ID: 467482
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Was the Waiver Voluntary?

Text: 11 After Agent Vardell informed McClure that the purpose of his visit was to question McClure about the murder of Mrs. Thaxton, he handed McClure an Advice of Rights form containing the standard Miranda warnings and instructed McClure to read it. Agent Vardell observed McClure's lips move as he read the form. He then instructed McClure to read aloud that portion of the form acknowledging that he understood his rights and agreed to waive them. Agent Vardell then asked McClure if he would talk to him about the murder of Mrs. Thaxton. When McClure agreed, Agent Vardell requested that McClure sign the waiver. McClure signed. 12 McClure does not suggest that Agent Vardell physically coerced him in any way. The only hint that the waiver of rights was involuntary was McClure's suggestion that he had agreed to talk with Agent Vardell in return for a promise of medical treatment. Agent Vardell denied promising McClure medical help but acknowledged offering McClure an aspirin during the interview. McClure admitted on cross-examination that he was not sure whether Agent Vardell made the promise before or after he had confessed. After hearing the testimony of both McClure and Agent Vardell, the district court made express findings that Agent Vardell was credible, McClure was not, and that Agent Vardell had made no promise of medical treatment. Because the district court had the opportunity to observe the demeanor of the witnesses, we defer to its credibility choices unless clearly erroneous. United States v. Pozos, 697 F.2d 1238, 1243 (5th Cir.1983); United States v. Freeman, 685 F.2d 942, 948 n. 3 (5th Cir.1982). We have reviewed the record of the suppression hearing and do not find that the district court's decision to credit Agent Vardell's testimony over that of McClure was clearly erroneous. We therefore agree with the district court that the government carried its burden of showing that, under the totality of the circumstances, McClure's waiver of Miranda rights was voluntary. 13