Opinion ID: 165278
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Statements Made to Daughter

Text: Beginning with his direct appeal to the AFCCA, Rios argued his conviction was flawed by the admission at trial of statements he made to his daughter during the taped telephone conversation because he had not been first advised of his rights pursuant to Article 31 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (Article 31 -6- rights), codified at 10 U.S.C. § 831. 6 Upon de novo review, the AFCCA concluded the trial judge did not err. It concluded: (1) Rios’ daughter’s consent to have the telephone call monitored was valid even though she was a minor; (2) authorization for the telephone call was properly obtained; and (3) Rios’ statements to his daughter were voluntary despite the fact he was told by his commander to call his daughter. The requirement to call did not necessarily compel him to make incriminating statements. Rios, 45 M.J. at 564. Granting discretionary review, the CAAF likewise considered the 6 10 U.S.C. § 831 states: Art. 31. Compulsory self-incrimination prohibited (a) No person subject to this chapter may compel any person to incriminate himself or to answer any question the answer to which may tend to incriminate him. (b) No person subject to this chapter may interrogate, or request any statement from, an accused or a person suspected of an offense without first informing him of the nature of the accusation and advising him that he does not have to make any statement regarding the offense of which he is accused or suspected and that any statement made by him may be used as evidence against him in a trial by court-martial. (c) No person subject to this chapter may compel any person to make a statement or produce evidence before any military tribunal if the statement or evidence is not material to the issue and may tend to degrade him. (d) No statement obtained from any person in violation of this article, or through the use of coercion, unlawful influence, or unlawful inducement may be received in evidence against him in a trial by court-martial. -7- legitimacy of the call and concluded the statements were properly admitted even though Rios was not advised of his Article 31 rights. Rios, 48 M.J. at 263-65. The CAAF reasoned: (1) there was no requirement to advise Rios of his Article 31 rights in the absence of evidence demonstrating coercion based on military rank, duty, or other similar relationship, (2) Rios’ minor daughter was capable of and did consent to the monitoring of the telephone call, and (3) the monitoring and recording of the call were properly authorized. Id. The AFCCA, once again, was asked to review the legality of the taped telephone call when Rios filed his Petition for Extraordinary Relief. Recognizing the telephone call had already been subjected to adequate scrutiny, the court denied Rios’ petition. The CAAF denied review. In denying Rios’ § 2241 petition, the district court concluded the written decisions of the AFCCA and the CAAF “reveal that the courts carefully considered, and rejected, the claims of error regarding the admittance at trial of the telephone conversation . . . .” (R., Doc. # 22 at 4.) We agree. Rios claims the introduction of the telephone conversation was error because it was obtained in violation of Article 31, which is the military’s equivalent to the Miranda rights advisement. Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966). Our inquiry then is whether, under the circumstances of this case, Rios would have been entitled to a reading of his Miranda rights before speaking with -8- his daughter. In order to implicate Miranda, a suspect must be “in custody” and subject to interrogation. United States v. Bennett, 329 F.3d 769, 774 (10th Cir. 2003). “By custodial interrogation, we mean questioning initiated by law enforcement officers after a person has been taken into custody or otherwise deprived of his freedom of action in any significant way.” Miranda, 384 U.S. at 444. Here, Rios was not “in custody” at the time of the telephone conversation as his freedom of action was not curtailed in any way. Also, we find that any impropriety, constitutional or otherwise, with regard to the taped telephone call was given full and fair consideration by the military courts and there is nothing to suggest improper legal standards were employed.