Opinion ID: 1709217
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: did the trial court err in admitting simpson's statement into evidence because it was made at 1:30 a.m.?

Text: The appellant cites no authority for this proposition. Simpson does not contend that the statement was made involuntarily; rather, he relies on his testimony that he was told an attorney would not be available at that late hour, and asserts that statements taken at that hour of night are per se inadmissible. He does not argue that he was particularly prejudiced by the questioning, but that, as a matter of law, this Court should hold that statements cannot be taken at that hour of day because of the time, the condition of Appellant, the condition of the officers because of the lateness of hour, the lack of sleep of all parties, the possibility of misunderstanding, mistake, indifference... . [Appellant's Rebuttal Brief, page 5] The reasons for denying this assignment of error are two-fold: first, the appellant has cited no authority for his argument. Ramseur v. State, 368 So.2d 842 (Miss. 1979); Dozier v. State, 247 Miss. 850, 157 So.2d 798 (1963); second, to reverse on this basis would be to impose a court-made rule on police procedures without a showing of prejudice to this appellant. There may, in some cases, be perfectly valid reasons for taking a statement in the early hours of the morning, and we do not believe that the ability to do so should be flatly prohibited.