Opinion ID: 742598
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: David Robinson's Post-Arrest Statement

Text: 171 At trial, the government introduced a postarrest statement by David Robinson that [Robinson] wasn't a big guy like Fat Cat [Lorenzo Nichols], he hadn't hurt anybody, he had just sold some drugs to take care of his children. (David Robinson Suppression Transcript at 14.) Robinson contends that the district court should have granted his pretrial motion to suppress that statement on the ground that it was the product of an impermissible interrogation. In light of the record at the hearing on Robinson's suppression motion, this contention is meritless. 172 A person in custody is entitled to Miranda warnings prior to official interrogation. See, e.g., Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 444, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 1612, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966). Once an accused has unequivocally invoked his right to counsel, interrogation, see generally Rhode Island v. Innis, 446 U.S. 291, 300-01, 100 S.Ct. 1682, 1689-90, 64 L.Ed.2d 297 (1980), is to cease. See, e.g., Davis v. United States, 512 U.S. 452, 458, 114 S.Ct. 2350, 2354, 129 L.Ed.2d 362 (1994); Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 484-85, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 1884-85, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1981). An agent's statement informing an arrestee that any cooperation would be brought to the attention of the Assistant United States Attorney constitute[s] 'interrogation'  if the statement was unsolicited by the arrestee. United States v. Montana, 958 F.2d 516, 518 (2d Cir.1992); see United States v. Johnson, 812 F.2d 1329, 1331 (11th Cir.1986). If there is questioning after the arrestee invokes his right to counsel, his responses may be admitted in evidence only on finding that [the arrestee] (a) initiated further discussions with the police, and (b) knowingly and intelligently waived the right he had invoked. Smith v. Illinois, 469 U.S. 91, 95, 105 S.Ct. 490, 492, 83 L.Ed.2d 488 (1984) (per curiam). If, after receiving Miranda warnings and invoking the right to counsel, the accused himself initiates further communication, exchanges, or conversations with the police, Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. at 484-85, 101 S.Ct. at 1884-85 those unsolicited statements are admissible. Any statement given freely and voluntarily without any compelling influences is, of course, admissible in evidence. Miranda, 384 U.S. at 478, 86 S.Ct. at 1629. 173 In the present case, David Robinson contends that his statement admitting his involvement in selling drugs was the product of interrogation by FBI Special Agent David Recame, urging him to cooperate with the government. In light of Recame's testimony at the suppression hearing, Robinson's contention is doubly flawed because (a) the agent's reference to cooperation, which occurred prior to the giving of Miranda warnings, was not unsolicited, and (b) the statement of whose admission Robinson complains was made only after he had received Miranda warnings and was not made in response to any post-Miranda warning questions or statements. Recame testified to the following pertinent sequence. David Robinson was arrested; Recame asked him pedigree questions, including the names of his employer, wife, and children. In answering the pedigree questions, Robinson bemoaned the fact that he was under arrest and that he had five children to take care of, that it would be difficult for the children and his wife without him [sic ] being present, and asked what the charge against him was and what the possible penalties were. (David Robinson Suppression Transcript at 11.) The agents told him his punishment could be 10 years to life imprisonment if the judge so sentenced him, but that he might obtain a lesser sentence by cooperating with the government. Robinson made no statement in response, and the agents did not pursue the matter. Thereafter, Robinson was given his Miranda warnings; Robinson stated that he understood, and he invoked his rights by shaking his head to indicate that he did not wish to answer questions. There was no further questioning or comment on the case by the agents. After several minutes, Robinson blurted out that he wasn't a big guy like Fat Cat, he hadn't hurt anybody, he had just sold some drugs to take care of his children. (Id. at 14.) 174 The district court was entitled to credit the testimony of Recame, in preference to the testimony offered by David Robinson who denied having made any statement whatever about being involved in drugs. Given the sequence described by Recame, the agents' pre-Miranda warning statement that Robinson could help himself by cooperating did not constitute interrogation since it was not unsolicited but was made in response to Robinson's own question as to what penalties he faced. In any event, Robinson's admission to selling drugs was made only after Miranda warnings had been administered and was made without any post-Miranda-warning interrogation. As a statement initiated solely by Robinson, it was admissible. 175