Opinion ID: 1670931
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Suppression of the statement

Text: Brawley argues the blood alcohol test administered some two hours after he gave his statement, and showing that his blood contained .11% alcohol, showed he was too intoxicated to waive his rights voluntarily and intelligently or to make a statement. All the officers involved in his arrest and in the taking of the subsequent statement testified that, while Brawley had been drinking and the odor of alcohol did emanate from his person, he appeared lucid and to understand what was going on. Their testimony was unequivocal that Brawley did not show any signs of intoxication, that he was completely responsive and coherent, and that there was no coercion or deception involved in the obtaining of the statement. The test for voluntariness of both the waiver and statement are essentially the same in this case. When a custodial statement is challenged, the State has the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that the statement was voluntarily given. Baker v. State, 289 Ark. 430, 711 S.W.2d 816 (1986). On appeal we make an independent determination of this issue considering the totality of the circumstances and affirm the trial court's ruling unless it is clearly wrong. Fleming v. State, 284 Ark. 307, 681 S.W.2d 390 (1984). In Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966), the Supreme Court recognized the inherently coercive nature of custodial waivers and held that a suspect's waiver of rights is valid only if it is made voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently. The voluntariness requirement is concerned with any sort of coercive or deceptive police activity. The knowledge and intelligence requirements are concerned with the level of comprehension of the accused. Only if the `totality of the circumstances surrounding the interrogation reveals' both an uncoerced choice and the requisite level of comprehension may a court properly conclude that the Miranda rights have been waived. Burin v. State, 298 Ark. 611, 770 S.W.2d 125 (1989); Moran v. Burbine, 475 U.S. 412, at 421, 106 S.Ct. 1135, at 1140, 89 L.Ed.2d 410 (1986). In our review of the totality of the circumstances, we defer to the trial court with respect to the credibility of witnesses. Smith v. State, 286 Ark. 247, 691 S.W.2d 154 (1985). Brawley argues that he was so intoxicated that he does not recollect his statement at all nor does he recall signing the waiver. In a similar case, Hunes v. State, 274 Ark. 268, 623 S.W.2d 835 (1981), the appellant claimed he had taken drugs prior to the time he was interrogated and was unable to remember being questioned or signing the confession. We found the State's evidence that the appellant appeared to be lucid and understood his rights was sufficient and concluded that it was for the Trial Court to weigh the evidence and resolve the credibility of the witnesses. The testimony here suggests that Brawley was sober enough. There is no evidence of any sort of duress. We cannot say the Trial Court was wrong in refusing to suppress the statement.  Affirmed. DUDLEY, J., concurs.