Opinion ID: 1729118
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: was the statement preceded by a miranda warning?

Text: ¶ 24. Taylor contends that she was not properly Mirandized prior to making her confession to Jenkins and that the only time she was given sufficient Miranda warnings was when Bosarge administered them the day before the confession was given. ¶ 25. The record shows that Bosarge read the Miranda warnings to Taylor and secured waiver of those rights on the first day of questioning. The following day Bosarge questioned Taylor again after orally advising her of her Miranda rights. Later that same day, Bosarge was informed that Taylor wanted to speak with her. Bosarge again presented Taylor the Miranda warnings orally. When that conversation ended, Detective Jenkins was instructed to question Taylor. Jenkins testified that she passed Bosarge in the hall prior to interviewing Taylor and that Bosarge informed her that Taylor had been read her Miranda rights. Jenkins testified that Taylor appeared to be mentally competent at the time of the interview and was able to read and write. ¶ 26. Taylor's contention that she was not properly informed of her Miranda rights is unfounded. In regard to the sufficiency of giving Miranda warnings orally and whether there is a requirement that they be in written form, this Court has stated: nor are we aware of any which requires that a waiver of an accused's constitutional privileges against self-incrimination, right to counsel, etc. must be in writing and signed by the accused before inculpatory statements made by him and otherwise freely and voluntarily given are admissible in evidence. Such a statement is admissible provided the accused has been afforded the protection of the Miranda warning and he thereafter knowingly and intelligently waives his rights and freely and voluntarily makes the statement. Davis v. State, 320 So.2d 789, 790 (Miss. 1975). The Mississippi Court of Appeals recently reiterated the adequacy of orally administering Miranda warnings in stating oral Miranda warnings and waivers are effective if proven to the satisfaction of the trier of fact, Dees v. State, 758 So.2d 492, 495 (Miss.Ct.App.2000). The detailed findings of fact and conclusions of law provided by the trial court show that the trier of fact in this case was satisfied with the effectiveness of the oral Miranda warnings. ¶ 27. Taylor asserts that the gap in time between Bosarge leaving the interview and Jenkins beginning her questioning warranted Jenkins providing Taylor with new Miranda warnings because it constituted a new questioning session. Testimony at the suppression hearing shows that this period of time was less than ten minutes in duration. Taylor points to Underwood v. State, 708 So.2d 18 (Miss.1998), in the hope of showing that Jenkins should have given new Miranda warnings to Taylor prior to her portion of the interview. Underwood dealt with interviews where renewal of the Miranda rights occurred on a daily basis. This Court has recently stated: neither Underwood nor Miranda requires that a criminal defendant be advised of his rights every time there is a brief pause in questioning. Miranda simply requires that [i]f the individual indicates in any manner, at any time prior to or during questioning, that he wishes to remain silent, the interrogation must cease. (citing Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. at 473-74, 86 S.Ct. at 1627-28). Baldwin v. State, 757 So.2d at 235. ¶ 28. In the present case, the five to ten minutes that elapsed between Bosarge's interview and Jenkins's interview constituted a brief pause in questioning, which did not require a renewal of Miranda warnings. Additionally, Taylor had been advised of her Miranda rights three times in a period of less than twenty-four hours. Taylor was properly advised of her rights prior to making her confession. It cannot be said that the trial court's determination regarding this issue was the result of an erroneous legal standard, manifestly wrong or against the overwhelming weight of the evidence. This issue is without merit.