Opinion ID: 511987
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Davis's Right to Counsel

Text: 9 A General Right? 10 Davis contends that the district court was correct in holding that the sheriff violated his Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment rights by initiating another round of interrogation after Davis had explicitly stated that he wanted to speak with his lawyer. 11 The Supreme Court has provided guidance in evaluating this issue. As a general rule, an accused in custody, having expressed his desire to deal with the police only through counsel, is not subject to further interrogation by the authorities until counsel has been made available to him, unless he validly waives his earlier request for assistance of counsel. See Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 484-85, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 1884-85, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1980). In developing this prophylactic rule, the Court has identified two distinct inquiries: First, a court must decide whether the accused actually invoked his right to counsel; and second, if he did so, his responses to further questioning are admissible only on a finding that he (a) initated further discussions with the police, and (b) knowingly and intelligently waived the right he had invoked. Smith v. Illinois, 469 U.S. 91, 95, 105 S.Ct. 490, 492, 83 L.Ed.2d 488 (1984) (emphasis added). 12 It should be noted that a valid waiver cannot be established by showing only that he responded to further police-initiated custodial interrogation even if he has been advised of his rights. Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 484, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 1884, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1980). See also Michigan v. Jackson, 475 U.S. 625, 106 S.Ct. 1404, 1410-11, 89 L.Ed.2d 631 (1986) (Sixth Amendment discussion). 13 In the case before us, Davis asked for his attorney. At this the police quite properly ceased all interrogation. When Davis's counsel failed to appear, however, the police initiated the next round of interrogation. Thus because the police and not the accused initiated the dialogue, even though he was advised of his rights and signed a waiver, his subsequent confession should not have been received in evidence. 1 Of this, however, more later.II. The Prosecutor's Improper Comments 14 The district court found that the prosecution made improper comments to the jury in closing argument with respect to Davis's failure to deny that he had committed the crime. Consequently, it held that Davis's Fifth Amendment rights were violated in that the jury might have taken the prosecutor's comments to refer to Davis's failure to testify in his own defense. Review of the prosecutor's comments, however, is hampered by the defense counsel's failure to preserve the closing argument for the record by a bill of exceptions or otherwise. Davis v. State, 406 So.2d 795, 801 (Miss.1981). 15 In evaluating the extent to which Davis's constitutional rights may have been prejudiced by the prosecutor's comments, it is important to note that the trial court stated in the presence of the jury: 16 Let the record show that the Assistant Attorney was arguing the case, and in his argument of speaking of the times that the statements were made by the defendant and in reference to those statements, he made the statement that all the defendant had to do at that time was deny that he had committed the offense. Upon him stating that, the defense attorneys have now moved the Court for a mistrial. The Court finds that the statements made by the Assistant District Attorney were made in regard to 9 March '79, and in the early morning of 10 March '79, and in conjunction with the statements that were made to the Sheriff and the other witness at said time and place and were not in manner referring to any other time, place, circumstance or situation, and for this reason, the motion be and the same is hereby overruled. 17 We have set forth guidelines for analyzing such prosecutorial comments. A prosecutor's argument will be deemed a reference to defendant's failure to testify if (1) such comment is the prosecutor's manifest intent or (2) it is of such a character 'that the jury would naturally and necessarily' interpret the comment as such. United States v. Soudan, 812 F.2d 920, 930 (5th Cir.1986) (citations omitted) (emphasis added). 18 Given what was preserved in the record, we cannot conclude that the prosecutor's closing comments were a reference to Davis's failure to testify. The trial court defined the prosecutor's manifest intent, finding that the prosecutor's comments referred to the period of initial custody and interrogation where Davis did remain silent in expectation of consulting with his attorney. In addition, the fact that the court read its evaluation of the comments into the record in the presence of the jury precludes us from holding that the jury naturally and necessarily interpreted the prosecutor's comments to refer to Davis's decision not to testify at trial. Because it is clear that the prosecutor's comments were acceptable under the guidelines of Soudan, we need not consider the additional requirement that Soudan highlights as necessary before reversal is appropriate: that such [constitutional] violations need not lead to reversal if harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Soudan, 812 F.2d at 931. Thus, given the record, because the prosecutor's comments cannot be deemed a reference to Davis's failure to testify at trial, the district court erred in finding a constitutional violation of Davis's Fifth Amendment rights. Procedural Bar 19 The State maintains that Davis's constitutional claims stemming from the trial court's admission into evidence of his confession and the closing comments by the prosecutor are procedurally barred. It points out that although the Mississippi Supreme Court ruled on the merits of these two constitutional claims, it also relied on the procedural bar that absent a contemporaneous motion to exclude during the trial, the objection to the admission of the confession was waived. Davis, supra, 406 So.2d at 799. 20 Despite our earlier conclusion that Davis's confession should not have been received, such a procedural defect, if found, bars habeas relief. We have held that when a state court bases its decision upon the alternative grounds of procedural default and a rejection of the merits, a federal court must, in the absence of good 'cause' and 'prejudice,' deny habeas relief because of the procedural defect. Cook v. Lynaugh, 821 F.2d 1072, 1077 (5th Cir.1987). See also Thompson v. Lynaugh, 821 F.2d 1080 (5th Cir.1987). There can be no doubt, in view of the matter quoted above, that the Mississippi Court rested its decision on alternative grounds, one of which was procedural default. That being so, this claim for habeas relief must fail. 2 Right to a Speedy Trial 21 Davis asserts that he was denied the right to a speedy trial in violation of the Sixth Amendment. Although the district court reviewing the habeas petition found the Pearl River County Court's procedure extremely troublesome and deficient, it dismissed the claim, finding that no prejudice was proven by Davis. 22 As we have noted, Davis was formally indicted on March 16, 1979 and arraigned on November 15, 1979. His trial, however, did not begin until April 10, 1980. This was a delay of about five months between arraignment and trial and of about thirteen months between indictment and trial. These delays were partly the result of the unique character of the Pearl River County Court. Between March 1979 and April 1980, the court was open to hear criminal cases only between March 12th and April 27th and between November 5th and November 23rd, 1979. 23 First, it is important to note that the Mississippi Speedy Trial Act requires that indictments be tried within 270 days (about 9 months) of arraignment unless good cause can be shown for delay. See Mississippi Speedy Trial Act, Mississippi Code Ann. Sec. 99-17-1 (Supp.1987). Davis has no claim under that statute in that the delay between his arraignment and trial was about five months. 24 It is not impossible, however, for Davis to have a constitutional claim despite the State's compliance with its statute. As Mississippi courts have acknowledged, the constitutional right to a speedy trial, as opposed to section 99-17-1, attaches at the time of a formal indictment or else the actual restraints imposed by arrest and holding to answer a criminal charge. Perry v. State, 419 So.2d 194, 198 (Miss.1982). The Supreme Court has adopted a four-factor balancing test to assess whether an accused's Sixth Amendment rights have been violated. The factors to be balanced are: 1) the length of delay; 2) the reason for delay; 3) the defendant's assertion of his rights; and 4) the prejudice to the defendant resulting from the delay. Barker v. Wingo, 407 U.S. 514, 530, 92 S.Ct. 2182, 2192, 33 L.Ed.2d 101 (1972). In evaluating the factors, the district court was not clearly erroneous in deciding that Davis's constitutional right to a speedy trial had not been violated. 25 First, the Supreme Court has identified the length of delay as a threshold factor in the balancing test. See Barker, 407 U.S. at 530, 92 S.Ct. at 2192. Until there is some delay which is presumptively prejudicial, there is no necessity to go into the balance. Id. Our Circuit's decisions would place the thirteen month delay between Davis's indictment and trial as between the 10 1/2 month delay not considered presumptively prejudicial in United States v. Maizumi, 526 F.2d 848 (5th Cir.1976), and the 15-month delay considered presumptively prejudicial in United States v. Avalos, 541 F.2d 1100 (5th Cir.1976). United States v. Greer, 655 F.2d 51, 52-53 (5th Cir.1981). This being so, it will be necessary to examine the remaining factors. In fact, the Supreme Court has pointed out that because of the imprecision of the right to speedy trial, the length of delay that will provoke such an inquiry is necessarily dependent upon the peculiar circumstances of the case. Barker, supra, 407 U.S. at 530-31, 92 S.Ct. at 2192. 26 Second, the reasons for the delay may be attributable to both sides and the Court's limited time for hearing cases. The district court points out that no significance could be attached to the failure to try case in March or April of 1979. Neither side would have had enough time to prepare. In fact, shortly after the April 1979 term ended, the court granted Davis 's motion for a continuance until November--an indication that Davis's interest in a speedy trial was not impinged upon before November. 27 In November, the State successfully moved to continue the case to March 1980 on the ground that there was no district attorney available to try the case. In evaluating this cause, the Supreme Court has noted that a neutral reason such as over-crowded courts should weigh less heavily against the government. Barker, supra, 407 U.S. at 531, 92 S.Ct. at 2192. Thus while the burden of the delay tilts toward the government, Davis should be allowed to complain only about the five-month period between November 1979, when the ex-parte motion was granted and April 1980 when the trial began. Although Davis alone did not cause the first delay, there is no indication that he was ready to go to trial in April 1979. If anything, all indications are that he willingly cooperated in the first delay by making a variety of procedural motions such as transferring the case. See Perry v. State, 419 So.2d 194, 199 (Miss.1982) ([I]f the defendant caused the delay, he will not be allowed to complain.); see also Millard v. Lynaugh, 810 F.2d 1403, 1406 (5th Cir.1987) (Constitutional and state claims of violation of right to speedy trial denied because defendant participated in delay by plea bargaining). 28 Third, the district court found that Davis first asserted his right to a speedy trial only in November, when he objected to the court's grant to the Government of a continuance until the following court term in April 1980. As is noted above, the reason for this delay was a shortage of prosecutorial staff. 29 Fourth, the Barker test considers the prejudice to the defendant resulting from the delay. The Supreme Court has identified three interests that must be considered: a) preventing oppressive pre-trial incarceration; b) minimizing the anxiety and concern of the accused; and c) limiting the possibility that the defense will be impaired. Barker, supra, 407 U.S. at 532, 92 S.Ct. at 2193. In weighing these factors, the district court found that Davis did not prove that he suffered prejudice from the delay. We agree. The five-month delay that can be attributed to the state does not seem oppressive, given the State's unfortunate but legitimate problem of a manpower deficiency. Further, the court's careful assessment of the Government's proffered reason minimized Davis's anxiety that the decision was arbitrary. We do not find an abuse of discretion in the court's decision to grant the continuance. Finally, the district court found, and we agree, that Davis had not proved that his defense was impaired. Although it is conceivable that there were lost alibi witnesses because of memory loss due to the delay, the district court correctly pointed out that defense counsel should have taken sworn statements from these alibi witnesses as soon as the charges were brought. These affidavits could have been used at trial to refresh the memory of those witnesses. 30 Having run the Barker balancing test, we conclude that the district court did not clearly err in determining that Davis failed to show that his Sixth Amendment rights were violated. To be sure, a thirteen-month delay between indictment and trial is unfortunate. It is important to note, however, that only five months of the delay are attributable to the Government and that this was the result of a neutral reason--a shortage of prosecutorial staff. Moreover, part of the delay was due to the short time allowed for the Pearl River County Court to sit.