Opinion ID: 1187703
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Wakefield's Statements

Text: Even an unwarranted delay in taking the accused before a magistrate after he or she has been arrested is not in itself a denial of due process unless that delay has in some way prejudiced the right of the accused to a fair trial. Whether a delay is prejudicial depends on the facts and circumstances of the case. See State v. Goodseal, 220 Kan. 487, 500, 553 P.2d 279 (1976). The relevant question is, during the delay in the first appearance and appointing counsel, were the statements of the accused compelled by pressure or threats? At the conclusion of the hearing, the district judge stated: It's clear that to me that [Wakefield] was afforded many opportunities for breaks, refreshments, opportunities to use the restroom, things like that; so there is nothing overt about the length of time that he was held or the length of time of the questioning process that would lead me to believe that wore down Mr. Wakefield to the degree that his statement or his waiver and his statements were not knowing and voluntarilyknowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently made. Furthermore, the onlyand I'll just cut to the chase. The only circumstances that could give rise to the proposition that it was not a knowing, voluntary, and intelligent waiver are just those that Mr. Ney has addressed: the statements made by the police officers, sheriff's officers. For example, Detective Lathrop's saying they're trying to help you. The lies that were told by Detective Oliver and Detective Lathrop, do these amount to a levela sufficient level that makes an otherwise valid confession inadmissible in that it is likely to produce a false or untrustworthy confession? The bottom line here is that trickery, deceit, manipulation, et cetera, can all be effective tools of law enforcement so thenso long as these statements and tools do not cross the law. I don't see any false promises that were made; and, in fact, I would have to say that perhaps Mr. Wakefield has benefitted at least in the charges that have been brought against him by his cooperation and talking with the police or with the sheriff's office. And regarding comments or statements or lies made, for example, by Detective Oliver that there were fingerprints upstairs that weren't there or there were people who would testify, while they are not truewhich makes them, of course, lies I see them more as bluffs that were effectively used to convince Mr. Wakefield to make certain statements to them in response, and they worked. I mean, police officers lie every day. Narcotics officers, their physical appearance is in and of itself a lie. It's something that is a necessary tool, and so long as the officers don't cross the line, it is effective and legal; and I am finding that there is nothing insofar as those methods that were used that makes these statements involuntary. When a trial court conducts a full hearing on the admissibility of an extrajudicial statement by an accused, determines the statement was freely and voluntarily given, and admits the statement into evidence at the trial, an appellate court accepts that determination if it is supported by substantial competent evidence. State v. Lewis, 258 Kan. 24, 36, 899 P.2d 1027 (1995). When determining the voluntariness of a confession, one views the totality of the circumstances, including: (1) the duration and manner of interrogation; (2) the accused's ability upon request to communicate with the outside world; (3) the accused's age, intellect, and background; and (4) the fairness of the officers in conducting the interrogation. State v. Alexander, 240 Kan. 273, 282, 729 P.2d 1126 (1986). First, Wakefield asserts that his confession was involuntary because he was isolated from outside help during this period. Wakefield's assertion is not born out in the record, as the following excerpt from the second interview reveals: WAKEFIELD: Um, I was wondering um, I'm uh, I was wanting to know if I was able to try to get a hold of someone so they could go and get all my property from the house, my clothes and shit. [OFFICER]: Don't they, don't you have phone privileges over there? WAKEFIELD: Yeah, I do, but, what I'm saying, am, am I able to have someone go over there and get that. [OFFICER]: Who, who, who can we get hold of? WAKEFIELD: Well, I was gonna try, well, I was gonna try to get a hold of my girlfriend's mom. I've got my uh, sister, uh, my sister's coming over tomorrow for a visit and then I'm having, I'm gonna have either, either have her go and get it or have her go to my girlfriend's mom's house and ask her to go get it. [OFFICER]: Okay. .... WAKEFIELD: Just like my clothes and my change and shit, that way I can have some. [OFFICER]: Let us take a break here, we'll talk about, uh, I'm sure that we can help you do something as far as getting a hold of somebody. WAKEFIELD: Can I go to the bathroom? [OFFICER]: Yeah, if you need to go right now? I'll go with you.... The videotaped interview shows that Wakefield had telephone privileges and visiting hours. He was not isolated from the outside world. Regarding the officers' fairness in misrepresenting their motivations and the evidence against Wakefield, the officers' conduct was clearly in the interest of the State in conducting a thorough and accurate investigation in the homicides and burglary. Such tactics by the officers do not make a confession involuntary so long as the defendant's statements were the product of his or her free and independent will. State v. Graham, 244 Kan. 194, 203, 768 P.2d 259 (1989). In State v. Kornstett, 62 Kan. 221, 61 Pac. 805 (1900), a sheriff told the suspect he believed the suspect knew who had committed the murder and would feel better if he told the truth. The Kornstett court stated mere advice or an admonition to the defendant to tell the truth, which is neither a threat nor a promise of a benefit, does not render a confession inadmissible. 62 Kan. at 227. In State v. Ninci, 262 Kan. 21, 39, 936 P.2d 1364 (1997), interrogating officers told Ninci `now is the time to come clean' and `you can do some things to help yourself now.' When Ninci indicated he was very scared of the codefendant and feared for his life, the officers told Ninci that the codefendant `knows you know too much, we can help you on that, but it has to be a two way street. We are willing to do what we can to keep you safe, but we can't do it unless we know exactly what is going on.' 262 Kan. at 39. Ninci was told that if he did not cooperate, then the officers really did not care what happened to him. According to Ninci, the officers indicated that it would help him if he confessed. This court upheld the trial court's denial of Ninci's motion to suppress, stating: `It is well settled that an extrajudicial confession will not be received in evidence unless it has been freely and voluntarily made. If it has been extorted by fear or induced by hope of profit, benefit, or amelioration, it will be excluded as involuntary. However, the advice or admonition to the defendent to speak the truth, which does not import either a threat or benefit, will not make a following confession incompetent.' [Citation omitted.] 262 Kan. at 39. In Frazier v. Cupp, 394 U.S. 731, 22 L. Ed.2d 684, 89 S. Ct. 1420 (1969), the questioning officer falsely told the defendant that the defendant's cousin had been brought in and confessed. The Court stated that while the misrepresentation made by the police was relevant, after viewing the totality of the circumstances, it was insufficient to make the otherwise voluntary confession inadmissible. 394 U.S. at 739. Was Wakefield's will overborne at the time he confessed? Wakefield does not allege that the sheriff's officers threatened him or that the officers made him any unfulfilled promises. Therefore, after reviewing the totality of the circumstances, the district court correctly determined that the misrepresentations made to Wakefield by the officers during the interviews did not cause Wakefield's confession to be involuntary. See Lynumn v. Illinois, 372 U.S. 528, 534, 9 L. Ed.2d 922, 83 S. Ct. 917 (1963).