Opinion ID: 1371196
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Voluntariness of Defendant's Incriminating Statement.

Text: Defendant first enumerates as error the admission into evidence of Agent Stone's testimony concerning the voluntariness of an incriminating statement made by defendant during his interrogation. In the course of the interrogation by Agent Stone, defendant was informed of the charges against him and of statements made by a co-indictee implicating him. He was then asked if he wanted to make a statement. Agent Stone testified that defendant agreed to tell his side of the story, and at that time the agent advised him of his constitutional rights and defendant signed a waiver reciting that he understood these rights. During Agent Stone's testimony at the trial, defendant's counsel requested the court to conduct a Jackson-Denno hearing to determine the voluntariness of defendant's statement before it was introduced into evidence. This hearing was conducted outside the presence of the jury and the trial judge considered the direct testimony of Agent Stone and his cross examination by defendant's counsel relating to the voluntariness of the incriminating statement made by defendant. The trial judge then ruled the statement had been made voluntarily and could be submitted to the jury. Agent Stone was subsequently asked during the course of his direct examination before the jury if the statement were freely and voluntarily made. Defense counsel objected to the question on the ground that it called for a conclusion on the part of the witness. Defendant asserts that the admission of this testimony was improper and prejudicial. In Thompkins v. State, 222 Ga. 420 (2) (151 SE2d 153) (1960), this court rejected a similar contention by the defendant in that case. It was there held that where a witness testifies to the circumstances surrounding the confession, showing clearly that it was voluntary, a question then posed to the witness regarding its voluntariness does not call for a conclusion. In the present case, Agent Stone testified to the circumstances which gave rise to the statement and since these facts surrounding the making of the statement by the defendant were also presented to the members of the jury, they were able to draw their own conclusions about it. See also Stubbs v. State, 29 Ga. App. 193 (2) (114 SE 926) (1922).