Opinion ID: 1513630
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: voluntariness of custodial statements

Text: Scherrer contends that the trial court erred in admitting custodial statements coerced from him and Jimmy Scherrer in violation of their fourteenth and fifth amendment right not to incriminate themselves. Johnny Scherrer does not have standing to assert that Jimmy Scherrer's right not to incriminate himself was violated since this right is personal. United States v. Nobles, 422 U.S. 225, 95 S.Ct. 2160, 45 L.Ed.2d 141 (1975); Shinsky v. State, 250 Ark. 620, 466 S.W.2d 911 (1971). In addition, since no custodial statements made by Jimmy Scherrer were introduced into evidence against Johnny Scherrer, Johnny Scherrer was not prejudiced in any way. See Blake v. State, 244 Ark. 37, 423 S.W.2d 544 (1968). The issue that we must decide is whether Johnny Scherrer's custodial statements were involuntary. Such statements are presumed to be involuntary. Fleming, supra . On appeal the burden is on the state to show that the confession was made voluntarily, freely, and understandingly, without hope of reward or fear of punishment. Jackson v. State, 284 Ark. 478, 683 S.W.2d 606 (1985). In determining whether a custodial statement is voluntary, we make an independent review of the totality of the circumstances and will reverse only if the trial court's findings are clearly against the preponderance of the evidence. Free v. State, 293 Ark. 65, 732 S.W.2d 452 (1987). Pursuant to the totality of the circumstances approach, we examine two basic components: the statements of the officer and the vulnerability of the accused. Fleming, supra . Some of the factors we consider in determining whether a statement was voluntarily made include the youth or age of the accused, lack of education, low intelligence, lack of advice as to constitutional rights, length of detention, repeated and prolonged questioning, and the use of physical punishment. Jackson, supra . On September 28, 1985, Scherrer was arrested and taken to the Dumas Police Department. After officers read him his Miranda rights, he was questioned about the murder. When Scherrer did not respond to officer Ed Gilbert's questions, Gilbert, who was approximately six feet from Scherrer, became so angry that he slammed his hand down on a glass desk top, breaking the glass. He then asked Scherrer how he would like it if his throat were cut. The officers who witnessed the episode noticed no change in Scherrer's demeanor. After this, Gilbert did not question Scherrer further, or at least did not question him for more than a few minutes, and then left the room. Shortly thereafter, Chief Ronnie Ferguson initiated a conversation with Scherrer. Approximately fifteen minutes after Ferguson began talking with Scherrer, Ferguson told him that the reason Scherrer could not remember what he had done the day of the murder was that he was there when the girl was killed. In response, Scherrer remarked that his car may have been there but he was not. In examining the totality of the circumstances, we find it significant that fifteen minutes elapsed between Scherrer's confrontation with Gilbert and the statement to Ferguson, that Gilbert was not present when Scherrer made the statement, and that Ferguson did not engage in coercion or intimidation during the interrogation. In addition, no physical punishment was inflicted on Scherrer, and he was advised of his constitutional rights prior to the thirty-minute questioning. For these reasons, we conclude that his statement to Ferguson was voluntarily and freely given.