Opinion ID: 410972
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Voluntariness of Harris' Statements

Text: 51 Again relying on language in Estelle, 5 Harris contends that his statements to the psychiatrist were not voluntary and, because he was not given the more detailed warnings, his waiver of the right to counsel was not knowing and intelligent. Harris also argues that, under the circumstances, he was unconstitutionally misled into thinking that the psychiatrist was there to help him. 52 We find these contentions to be without merit. Harris' waiver of his right to counsel and the voluntariness of his subsequent statements are judged under fifth amendment standards. See Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 482, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 1883, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1981). Because Harris' psychiatric interview occurred before arraignment and indictment, no sixth amendment right to counsel was involved. See Moore v. Illinois, 434 U.S. 220, 226-29, 98 S.Ct. 458, 463-65, 54 L.Ed.2d 424 (1977); Any reliance on Estelle is, therefore, misplaced. The Estelle Court emphasized that its holding was directed at the specific type of psychiatric investigation at issue there, a court-ordered examination conducted [ostensibly to determine competency to stand trial] after adversary proceedings have been instituted. Estelle v. Smith, 451 U.S. at 470 n.14, 101 S.Ct. at 1877 n.14 (emphasis added). The Court explained that it was not 53 concerned ... with the limited right to the appointment and presence of counsel recognized as a Fifth Amendment safeguard in Miranda v. Arizona .... Rather, the issue before us is whether a defendant's Sixth Amendment right to the assistance of counsel is abridged when the defendant is not given prior opportunity to consult with counsel about his participation in the psychiatric examination. 54 Id. at 470 n.14, 101 S.Ct. at 1877 n.14. Thus, in Estelle the Court was concerned with situations where counsel had already been appointed or otherwise obtained, the defendant had evidenced a desire to retain counsel, or the defendant had indicated that he wished to remain silent. None of those circumstances were present here. Harris' sixth amendment right to counsel had not yet attached and he had waived his fifth amendment right to counsel. 55 Finally, Harris' bare allegation that he was somehow misled into thinking that the psychiatrist was there to treat him or help him is insufficient to raise a factual issue. The evidence overwhelmingly indicates that he knowingly and intelligently waived his fifth amendment rights and gave his statements to Dr. Griswold voluntarily. 56