Opinion ID: 2426456
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: TapesFederal Acts

Text: Judge Bates next objects to the admission of all the tape recordings because, he contends, they were obtained in violation of the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C.A. § 605, and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, 18 U.S.C.A. § 2510 et seq. We find no merit in this contention. Both statutes would prohibit the use of taped telephone conversations as evidence in state or federal courts unless the person taping the conversation is a party to the communication, or one of the parties to the conversation has given prior consent to such interception. [9] Lee v. State of Florida, 392 U.S. 378, 88 S.Ct. 2096, 20 L.Ed.2d 1166 (1968). Fontenot had consented to the taping of the conversations. Fontenot, the Judge contends, recorded his conversations with Riklin, and his conversations with Judge Bates, because the District Attorney's office had promised him leniency in regard to the prosecution of the indictments, which were pending against him. The consent, he contends, induced by a promise of leniency was, therefore, not voluntary. So, he contends, the taped conversations are inadmissible as evidence. Rathbun v. United States, 355 U.S. 107, 78 S.Ct. 161, 2 L.Ed.2d 134 (1957); Laughlin v. United States, 120 U.S.App. D.C. 93, 344 F.2d 187 (1965), and Weiss v. United States, 308 U.S. 321, 60 S.Ct. 269, 84 L.Ed. 298 (1939) are cited. The record supports, at most, an implied promise of leniency by the District Attorney in regard to indictments pending against Nukie Fontenot. Judge Bates does not contend that Fontenot was coerced or threatened, but the Judge erroneously contends that a promise of leniency makes Fontenot's consent involuntary. We will first examine the cases cited by the Judge; then we will discuss a few cases not cited by the Judge. In Rathbun v. United States, supra , one party to a conversation requested police officers to listen in on an extension phone in his house. The Court stated that each party to a telephone conversation takes the risk that the other party may have an extension telephone and may allow another to overhear the conversation. It is conceded that either party to a conversation may record it and publish it for his own benefit. The issue of voluntary consent was not present in Rathbun, supra . In Weiss v. United States, supra , government officials wiretapped defendant's phones without the consent of any party to the conversations. Later upon being confronted with this evidence, several defendants decided to plead guilty and become a witness for the government. These witnesses at this later time then agreed the tapes could be used. The Court found that one party must consent to the taping of conversations at the time of its interception. The Judge does not suggest that Fontenot did not give prior consent. We find Laughlin v. United States, supra , to be similarly distinguishable. We have found an abundance of case law regarding this specific question of voluntary consent. The Federal Circuit Courts and others have uniformly held that a promise of leniency as to pending indictments does not constitute coercion so that a consent becomes involuntary. U. S. v. Bastone, 526 F.2d 971 (7th Cir. 1976); U. S. v. Franks, 511 F.2d 25 (6th Cir. 1975); United States v. Dowdy, 479 F.2d 213 (4th Cir. 1973); United States v. Osser, 483 F.2d 727 (3rd Cir. 1973); United States v. Silva, 449 F.2d 145 (1st Cir. 1971); United States v. Jones, 140 U.S.App.D.C. 70, 433 F.2d 1176 (D.C.Cir. 1970); Black v. United States, 341 F.2d 583 (9th Cir. 1965); Torry v. Montayne, 404 F.Supp. 1397, 1400 (W.D.N.Y. 1975); U.S. v. Slawik, 408 F.Supp. 190 (D.Del. 1976). Robert C. Bennett, Jr., Chief of Special Crimes Divisions, in charge of the investigation of Judge Bates, testified that no representations were made to Nukie Fontenot regarding any disposition of the cases pending against him. He also testified, I think it would be fair for him to assume he wouldn't go to the pen for as long as he would if he did not cooperate. Judge Bates introduced tape recordings of the conversation that occurred between Nukie Fontenot and Detectives Musick and Nuccia when they confronted him initially concerning their tip off as to the bribe. No particular promises of leniency were made to Fontenot by the office of the D.A., although there's an implied promise to help him. Nukie Fontenot testified under strenuous cross examination that he had consented to tape the conversations and to turn over all these tapes. He further testified that no deal had been cut. As stated above, such an inducement did not make his consent involuntary. We overrule this objection to the admission of all the tapes.