Opinion ID: 2429564
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: lack of cooperation

Text: The appellant next argues that his right to remain silent under the Fifth Amendment was violated after he was given Miranda warnings in contravention of Doyle v. Ohio, 426 U.S. 610, 96 S.Ct. 2240, 49 L.Ed.2d 91 (1975). He specifically objects to testimony given by Officer Lewis that during the booking process he was cooperative [t]o a certain degree and refused to answer certain questions. The State counters that this issue was not preserved for appeal because at trial Whitson argued that his refusal to answer questions was irrelevant whereas on appeal he has changed his argument to violation of Due Process on the basis that the officer's remarks constituted a reference to his post- Miranda silence. It is well settled that only an issue stated clearly and specifically below will be reviewed on appeal. See, e.g., Parette v. State, 301 Ark. 607, 786 S.W.2d 817 (1990); Horn v. State, 282 Ark. 75, 665 S.W.2d 880 (1984). Where an appellant objects to testimony on one theory at trial, we will not consider a distinct argument raised for the first time on appeal. Segerstrom v. State, 301 Ark. 314, 783 S.W.2d 847 (1990), Fitzpatrick v. State, 7 Ark.App. 246, 647 S.W.2d 480 (1983). The reason is simple. The trial court was not given an opportunity to consider the point now raised. Withers v. State, 308 Ark. 507, 825 S.W.2d 819 (1992); Gustafson v. State, 267 Ark. 830, 593 S.W.2d 187 (1979). In the instant case, Whitson objected to the introduction of a Miranda warning form which he apparently refused to sign. The State sought to introduce the form as evidence of the appellant's lack of cooperation. The court sustained a defense objection to its introduction but permitted inquiry into Whitson's overall degree of cooperation on the basis that this was probative of intoxication. Following that ruling, Officer Lewis testified, Mr. Whitson was cooperative to a certain degree. He refused to answer certain questions. Defense counsel objected again, and the court ruled a second time that lack of cooperation was relevant to the issue of intoxication. Though Whitson protests vehemently that this is not the case, it is obvious to us that his argument has changed on appeal. Whitson now argues that his Due Process rights were violated under Doyle v. Ohio, supra , by allowing interrogation which alluded in any respect to his post- Miranda silence. This is a wholly distinct and dissimilar argument from his objection concerning the relevancy of a refusal to sign the Miranda form which he made at trial. There, the argument made was that a refusal to sign a Miranda form was not pertinent to the issue of lack of cooperation. We will not consider constitutional issues raised for the first time on appeal, Campbell v. State, 311 Ark. 641, 846 S.W.2d 639 (1993), and we conclude that this issue is not properly preserved for appeal. As a footnote to this issue, we observe a potential inconsistency between advising a defendant of the right to remain silent as part of the Miranda warnings and using any subsequent refusal to answer questions as evidence of uncooperativeness and, ultimately, of intoxication. The privilege against self-incrimination embraced within the right to remain silent is fundamental. Using that silence to prove lack of cooperation, if appropriately raised, is clearly prohibited. However, a defendant could well refuse to answer certain questions in a spirit of rebellion that have nothing to do with guilt or innocence. In the case before us, we can only surmise what brand of questions Officer Lewis was alluding to in his testimony.