Opinion ID: 1162149
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: isalazar

Text: The court granted Salazar's three motions to suppress the statements made while in police custody. The court concluded, among other reasons, that the statements were involuntary and taken in violation of Salazar's constitutional rights, in that both Salazar and his mother, orally and in writing, expressed their desire that he exercise his right to remain silent and to consult with an attorney before giving any statements. The court found that neither the mother nor Salazar had effectively waived these rights prior to his interrogation which resulted in the inculpatory statements. We agree. There is evidence in the record to support the court's conclusion that Salazar's request for an attorney was never withdrawn prior to the first incriminating admission obtained from him by the polygraph examiner. Each statement thereafter given by him flowed from the taint of the first improperly obtained statement and was therefore suppressible. People v. Pineda, 182 Colo. 385, 513 P.2d 452. Although the officers made initial efforts to call members of the Public Defender's staff, they did not discontinue interrogation until an attorney could be secured. Ironically, at the very time the request for counsel was made, there was an attorney available in the police building, who had offered his services in this regard, which were rejected by the police, who were well aware of Salazar's request for counsel. Cf. Escobedo v. Illinois, 378 U.S. 478, 84 S.Ct. 1758, 12 L.Ed.2d 977. Under the dictates of Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694, 10 A.L.R.3d 974, when the request for counsel had been made, it was incumbent on the police to cease interrogation until request for counsel had been complied with or had been effectively withdrawn. The persistent questioning by the police, the prosecution-oriented advice by the FBI agents to take the polygraph test, together with the influence exerted by Salazar's trusted relative, his policeman cousin, Manzanares, vitiated any subsequent waiver of his Miranda rights, as the trial court properly concluded. People v. Pineda, supra ; People v. Medina, supra . As an additional reason for the suppression order, the trial court found a clear violation of the Children's Code, section 19-2-102(3) (c)(I), C.R.S.1973, which provides: No statements or admissions of a child made as a result of interrogation of the child by a law enforcement official concerning acts alleged to have been committed by the child which would constitute a crime if committed by an adult shall be admissible in evidence against that child unless a parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the child was present at such interrogation and the child and his parent, guardian, or legal custodian were advised of the child's right to remain silent, that any statements made may be used against him in a court of law, the right of the presence of an attorney during such interrogation, and the right to have counsel appointed if so requested at the time of the interrogation; except that, if a public defender or counsel representing the child is present at such interrogation, such statements or admissions may be admissible in evidence even though the child's parent, guardian, or legal custodian was not present. Salazar's mother was not admitted into the room where the polygraph pre-testing interview was held, nor was she admitted during the polygraph examination, and, of course, no counsel was present during these procedures. People In Interest of L. B., 33 Colo.App. 1, 513 P.2d 1069. We affirm the court's order of suppression of the inculpatory statements made by Salazar while in police custody.