Opinion ID: 43625
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Statements to Agent Bess

Text: “The [F]ifth [A]mendment to the Constitution requires that when a person is advised of rights during custodial interrogation and the person requests a lawyer, all questioning must cease.” United States v. Johnson, 812 F.2d 1329, 1331 (11th Cir. 1986). “Interrogation . . . means ‘any words or actions on the part of the police (other than those normally attendant to arrest and custody) that the police should know are reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response from the suspect.” United States v. Gomez, 927 F.2d 1530, 1538 (11th Cir. 1991) (quoting Rhode Island v. Innis, 446 U.S. 291, 309 n.5, 100 S. Ct. 1682, 1694 n.5 (1980)). Smith argues that the district court erred in denying his motion to suppress statements made to Agent Bess because they were the result of custodial interrogation after he had invoked his Miranda rights. Specifically, Smith objects to the court’s failure to suppress: (1) statements regarding his prior convictions; (2) statements overheard when talking to Carl Jenkins; and (3) statements after his phone call to Jenkins. As to Smith’s statements to Agent Bess regarding his criminal history, prior to the district court’s decision whether to suppress them, the parties agreed to stipulate at trial that Smith was a convicted felon. Therefore, even if the district court erred in not suppressing Smith’s statements, the error was harmless. 8 There is no indication that Smith’s other statements were the product of police action reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response. When Agent Bess gave Smith his cell phone to talk to Jenkins, Agent Bess was sitting in close proximity to Smith the entire time. Simply offering Smith the opportunity to make a phone call cannot be considered interrogation. Likewise, there is no evidence that Smith’s statements regarding his girlfriend once he got off of the phone were anything but voluntary. In fact, after Smith began talking, Agent Bess urged him to stop making statements until his lawyer was present.