Opinion ID: 1714125
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether the circuit court erred in denying horne's motion to suppress statements.

Text: ¶ 42. Horne contends that, as a result of his age and intoxication, he was unable to give a knowing and intelligent waiver of his rights. After a hearing, the circuit court found that Horne was properly advised of his rights, that he waived the same, and that the confession was free and voluntary. ¶ 43. The general rule is that for a confession to be admissible it must have been given voluntarily and not given because of promises, threats or inducements. Dancer v. State, 721 So.2d 583, 587 (Miss.1998) (citing Morgan v. State, 681 So.2d 82, 86 (Miss.1996)). [T]he prosecution shoulders the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the confession was voluntary. Morgan, 681 So.2d at 86 (citing Haymer v. State, 613 So.2d 837, 839 (Miss.1993)). This burden is met and a prima facie case made out by testimony of an officer, or other persons having knowledge of the facts, that the confession was voluntarily made without threats, coercion, or offer of reward. Morgan, 681 So.2d at 87. ¶ 44. Our review of whether Horne's confessions were voluntary is limited. The circuit court sits as a fact finder when determining voluntariness of a confession, and its determination will not be reversed unless manifestly wrong. Blue v. State, 674 So.2d 1184, 1204 (Miss.1996), overruled on other grounds by King v. State, 784 So.2d 884 (Miss.2001); Porter v. State, 616 So.2d 899, 907 (Miss.1993). The State has the burden of proving all facts prerequisite to the admissibility of a defendant's confession beyond a reasonable doubt. Blue, 674 So.2d at 1204; Porter, 616 So.2d at 908. ¶ 45. We have held that, if the nature of the crime is one where the defendant could receive life imprisonment or death and if original jurisdiction in the case lies in the circuit court, it is not necessary that a minor have a parent present during interrogation. Blue, 674 So.2d at 1205. Horne's age has no special bearing on his ability to be questioned without a parent and voluntary waive his rights. Id. ¶ 46. Although Horne had been drinking and/or smoking marijuana prior to his arrest, Officer DeJarnette, Officer Adrian Dejuan Ratliff and Detective Richard Cox, who typed Horne's statement, testified that he did not appear intoxicated at the time of his arrest. The evidence, including the videotape which did not depict Horne in a state of intoxication, overwhelmingly established that intoxication was not a factor when Horne gave his statements. ¶ 47. There is no evidence in the record that Horne was coerced, threatened or enticed into giving his statements. The record does show that Horne was advised of his Miranda rights on at least two separate occasions after he was taken into custody. He waived those rights each time he was so advised. The officers who took Horne's statement each testified that Horne voluntarily made his statement and that no threats or promises or other form of coercion were brought to bear upon him. This evidence is supported by the videotape wherein Horne reiterated that he was cognizant of his rights, that he waived them, and that he freely and voluntarily gave the statements. ¶ 48. We find that, because there is substantial evidence indicating that Horne understood his rights and voluntarily waived them, the circuit court's decision finding Horne's confessions admissible was not in error. There is no merit to this issue.