Opinion ID: 2442105
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Interrogation Resumes; Appellant Gets It Off His Chest to Take the Robbery

Text: The police planned to resume their questioning of appellant on Sunday afternoon, when Sergeant Young from the Major Case Unit arrived at the station to participate in the interrogation. Shortly before it was to start, however, at some time between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m., appellant reportedly called out from his cell and asked to speak to Detective Ross. Ross was not available, so a different detective brought appellant to an interrogation room. Appellant then noticed Detective Crespo and called out to him, saying (per Crespo's testimony), Crespo, I need toI want to talk to you. I want to tell you what I did. I did it. [5] Sergeant Young and Detective Crespo proceeded to question appellant forthwith, without re-advising him of his Miranda rights or obtaining his waiver of those rights. In response to their inquiries, appellant said that Ms. Fotopoulous had angered him earlier in the week by refusing to give him change when he asked her for it and screaming at him to go away. On the day of the incident, appellant said, he had been drinking, and a flower vendor encouraged him to rob Ms. Fotopoulous in revenge. Appellant took that advice. He followed Ms. Fotopoulous to her home, confronted her, and demanded her money. When she refused to hand it over, he hit her, held her down with his foot, and took it. In response to the detectives' questions, appellant agreed that no one had forced anything on him and that he did not feel the detectives had made him do anything against his will. He stated that he did not know the victim was that old, he felt bad about hitting her and because she was old, and he decided to say what actually happened so that he could get it off [his] chest. I ain't never done it before, appellant claimed, and he said he fe[lt] a whole lot better now after he finished talking. At the conclusion of the session, appellant told Detective Crespo, so ... don't put no whole lot of extra charges, you know ... I'm going to take the robbery. Crespo informed appellant that he had no control over the charges, and appellant repeated, I'll take, I'll take, I'll take the robbery you know ... you know I don't need the assault and all that other stuff. I just want to deal with the robbery.