Opinion ID: 2211681
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: admissibility of garner's confession

Text: Garner contends that McCowen's references to the death penalty rendered his confession involuntary because it was the product of threats, coercion, and inducements of leniency. In making this argument, Garner contends that his age, the time of day, and the fact that he was without counsel or a parent were factors affecting the involuntary nature of his confession. The Due Process Clause of U.S. Const. amend. XIV and the due process clause of Neb. Const. art. I, § 3, preclude admissibility of an involuntary confession. State v. Mantich, 249 Neb. 311, 543 N.W.2d 181 (1996). See, also, State v. Chojolan, 253 Neb. 591, 571 N.W.2d 621 (1997) (statements made after Miranda rights are given are required to be made voluntarily). The State has the burden to prove that a defendant's statement was voluntary and not coerced. State v. Chojolan, supra . In making this determination, a totality of the circumstances test is applied, and the determination reached by the trial court will not be disturbed on appeal unless clearly wrong. See, id; State v. Ray, 241 Neb. 551, 489 N.W.2d 558 (1992); State v. Stewart, 197 Neb. 497, 250 N.W.2d 849 (1977), disapproved on other grounds, State v. Palmer, 224 Neb. 282, 399 N.W.2d 706 (1986). While the circumstances surrounding the statement and the characteristics of the individual defendant at the time of the statement are potentially material considerations, coercive police activity is a necessary predicate to the finding that a confession is not voluntary within the meaning of the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment. Colorado v. Connelly, 479 U.S. 157, 107 S.Ct. 515, 93 L.Ed.2d 473 (1986); State v. Ray, supra ; State v. Brewer, 241 Neb. 24, 486 N.W.2d 477 (1992). Thus, the inquiry is whether the trial court was clearly wrong in finding that police conduct, in the context of the totality of the circumstances, did not render the accused's confession involuntary. State v. Ray, supra . The confession of an accused may be involuntary and inadmissable if obtained in exchange for a promise of leniency. State v. Martin, 243 Neb. 368, 500 N.W.2d 512 (1993); State v. Porter, 235 Neb. 476, 455 N.W.2d 787 (1990). However, mere advice or exhortation by the police that it would be better for the accused to tell the truth, when unaccompanied by either a threat or promise, does not make a subsequent confession involuntary. See State v. Ray, supra . While the accused's minority is a factor to consider when determining the voluntariness of a confession, it is not determinative. State v. Chojolan, supra . We have also held that where an accused did not appear to be tired and appeared to comprehend what was happening, the trial court was not clearly wrong in determining that a statement made after 14 hours in custody was voluntary. Id. In this case, McCowen did not refer to the death penalty in connection with an explicit threat or promise of leniency. Rather, McCowen briefly referred to the death penalty in relation to what the public perception would be regarding the crime. Although there was no explicit threat that Garner would receive the death penalty if he did not cooperate, we have stated that the possibility remains that under certain circumstances, a promised benefit (such as a promise not to pursue the death penalty if the accused tells the truth) might be inferred from an officer's statements to an accused. See State v. Martin, supra . However, any such inference must be reasonable. See, generally, id. In addition, we have stated that the benefit offered to a defendant must be definite and must overbear his or her free will in order to render the statement involuntary. State v. Walker, 242 Neb. 99, 493 N.W.2d 329 (1992); State v. Ray, supra . Although we do not condone McCowen's use of death penalty references, the references do not, in and of themselves, render Garner's subsequent confession involuntary. Several courts have indicated that a brief reference to the death penalty will not render a statement involuntary when the statement merely illustrates the seriousness of the crime and the defendant's will was not overborne as a result of the statement. See, State v. Martinez, 127 N.M. 207, 979 P.2d 718 (1999) (reference to death penalty was attempt to impress appellant with seriousness of crime, did not rise to level of misconduct, and did not cause his will to be overborne); Conner v. State, 334 Ark. 457, 982 S.W.2d 655 (1998); State v. Andrus, Nos. 9504004126 and 9504002666, 1996 WL 190031 (Del.Super.Jan.16, 1996) (appellant did not demonstrate that officer's brief comments regarding death penalty constituted government's overreaching or that comments were factor that caused him to confess). The trial court in this case heard the audiotapes of the interview and, thus, was able to make detailed factual findings. The trial court stated that over the course of the 3-hour interview, McCowen mentioned the death penalty only twice. As previously discussed, the references to the death penalty were made in the context of a continued effort by the officers to illustrate to Garner how the public would view the crime. The references were not made in the context of a threat or a promise of leniency. The trial court found that McCowen's statements to Garner regarding the death penalty were stated quickly and were quickly rebuffed by Garner each time. Further, a considerable amount of time passed between McCowen's second statement regarding the death penalty and the time when Garner confessed. During this time, the officers appealed to Garner's conscience and continued to urge him to tell the truth. The trial court determined that there was no apparent indicia that Garner's will was overcome as a result of the officers' remarks. The trial court further found that the officers made no promises or inducements and did not threaten or intimidate Garner. The record supports the trial court's factual findings. We conclude that the trial court was not clearly wrong in concluding that Garner's statement was voluntary. Thus, Garner's statement was properly entered into evidence.