Opinion ID: 2523769
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Voluntary Element

Text: A Miranda waiver is considered voluntary unless `coercive governmental conduct  whether physical or psychological  played a significant role in inducing the defendant to make the confession or statement.' Platt, 81 P.3d at 1065 (quoting May, 859 P.2d at 883); Connelly, 479 U.S. at 170, 107 S.Ct. 515 (The voluntariness of a waiver of this [Fifth Amendment] privilege has always depended on the absence of police overreaching, not on `free choice' in any broader sense of the word.). Voluntariness is an objective inquiry reviewing the record for outwardly coercive police action, not a subjective analysis attempting to arbitrarily surmise whether the defendant perceived some form of coercive influence. See Connelly, 479 U.S. at 169-71, 107 S.Ct. 515. The appellate court must reverse the trial court on this element if the record is devoid of any suggestion that police resorted to physical or psychological pressure to elicit the statements. Moran v. Burbine, 475 U.S. 412, 421, 106 S.Ct. 1135, 89 L.Ed.2d 410 (1986); see also People v. Jordan, 891 P.2d 1010, 1015-16 (Colo.1995). Hence, we review the record, which includes a video of the entire interrogation, [3] for an instance of physical or psychological coercion on the part of the government. We find none. Ferguson began the interrogation complaining of poor mental health, but Investigator Piechota did nothing to exacerbate or exploit this problem. Instead, Investigator Piechota consistently emphasized that Ferguson was under no obligation to speak to him at that moment and that the decision to continue was entirely Ferguson's. Although Investigator Piechota did offer to help Ferguson get some mental health, he in no way made or implied a quid pro quo arrangement forcing statements in exchange for future medical aide. Also, any potential residual intoxication remaining from Ferguson's methamphetamine use falls under the intelligent and knowing element because it was not induced by the government. Platt, 81 P.3d at 1066. Because the trial court's finding of coercion is not supported in the record, we reverse it.