Opinion ID: 2444747
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Failure to Seek Suppression

Text: Martin first argues that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to seek suppression of his confession on Fifth Amendment right to counsel grounds. [11] Relating to the arguable merit prong of the ineffective assistance of counsel test, he asserts that two FD-302 form reports prepared by F.B.I, agents in Arizona, dated October 12 and 14, 1993, and described in detail infra, demonstrate that Martin invoked his Fifth Amendment right to counsel when he was being questioned by F.B.I, agents on October 5, 1993, while he was jailed following his arrest in Yuma, Arizona. [12] Martin submits that later that same day, he was interrogated by F.B.I. Agent Vick without counsel present, and made incriminating statements. [13] Because the interrogation by Agent Vick was conducted while Martin was in custody after he had invoked his right to counsel, and counsel was not present during such questioning, Martin argues that the interrogation violated the prophylactic rule of Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 484-85, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1981) (holding that where an accused invokes his right to have counsel present during a custodial interrogation, a valid waiver of that right cannot be established by showing only that the accused responded to further police-initiated custodial interrogation even if he has been advised of his rights). Continuing his arguable merit analysis, Martin avers that two days later, on October 7, 1993, after having been separately advised of his Miranda rights and signing a waiver form, he made a video-taped confession to Lebanon County detectives, who had traveled to Arizona to question him. He contends that the Lebanon County police took advantage of [the] same Fifth Amendment violation in obtaining their confession. Martin's Brief, at 22. Martin concludes that this video-taped confession, which was ultimately played for the jury at trial, was tainted by the initial Edwards violation that occurred during the interrogation conducted by Agent Vick. Thus, he maintains, trial counsel was ineffective for failing to litigate his motion to suppress his confession to Lebanon County detectives on the grounds that the confession violated his Fifth Amendment right to counsel, and for failing to offer evidence at the suppression hearing in support of such claim. Relating to the reasonable basis prong of the ineffectiveness test, Martin submits that trial counsel had no reasonable strategy for failing to seek suppression of his confession on Fifth Amendment grounds because the aforementioned F.B.I, reports were available to trial counsel, but were never introduced at his suppression hearing. Finally, Martin contends that he satisfied the prejudice prong of the ineffectiveness test because there is a reasonable probability that the jury would not have convicted him of first degree murder had his confession been suppressed. The Commonwealth contends that this claim was previously litigated on direct appeal, where Martin argued that he was entitled to a new trial because his incriminating statements had been obtained unlawfully after he invoked his Fifth Amendment right to counsel. Alternatively, the Commonwealth asserts that Martin's claim is meritless because it fails to satisfy the standard for demonstrating ineffective assistance of counsel. Specifically, the Commonwealth argues that the F.B.I, report referencing Martin's statement to Agent Vick on October 5, 1993 clearly establishes that Martin initiated the communication about his criminal acts. It maintains that Agent Vick did not interrogate Martin; rather the only communication initiated by Agent Vick was in relation to changing the placement of Martin's handcuffs because he was suffering discomfort. The Commonwealth concludes that the conduct of the law enforcement officers was entirely consistent with the prevailing law allowing defendants to initiate conversations with police, even after they invoked their Fifth Amendment right to counsel. Under these circumstances, the Commonwealth maintains that if this Court examines the substance of the claim, we should dismiss it for lack of arguable merit. We begin by rejecting the Commonwealth's contention that Martin's claim was previously litigated on direct appeal. While Martin challenged the admission of his confession on direct appeal, asserting that it violated the Fifth Amendment because it was given in the absence of counsel after Martin had invoked his right to counsel, the direct appeal claim was not couched in terms of ineffective assistance of counsel. See Commonwealth v. Collins, 585 Pa. 45, 888 A.2d 564 (2005) (holding that ineffectiveness claims are distinct from non-ineffectiveness claims of error raised on direct appeal and may not be dismissed as previously litigated under the PCRA). Rather than addressing trial counsel's performance, which this Court had expressly precluded Martin from challenging as trial counsel remained in the case, this Court on direct appeal rejected the substantive Fifth Amendment claim as unsupported by the record. We stated: In this case, the transcript from the suppression hearing and the trial record do not contain any evidence that Martin invoked his right to counsel and privilege against self-incrimination; nor is there support in the record for Martin's account of the circumstances under which he gave an incriminating statement to the federal agent. Accordingly, Martin has failed to establish a violation of his Fifth Amendment rights. Commonwealth v. King, 721 A.2d at 774. As to Martin's subsequent videotaped statement to the Lebanon County detectives, our Court on direct appeal further found that Martin was advised of his rights, waived them, and that there was nothing improper concerning the circumstances under which this statement was given. Id. at 774-75. Unlike the substantive claim raised on direct appeal, Martin currently argues that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to base the suppression motion on Fifth Amendment grounds, and for failing to support such claim by presenting the F.B.I, reports at the suppression hearing. Thus, the claim raised in Martin's PCRA petition begins where our decision on direct appeal left off. As this collateral claim is distinct from the claim litigated on direct appeal, we decline the Commonwealth's invitation to deny merits review on the basis that the claim was previously litigated. Examining the merits of the collateral claim, however, we reject Martin's contention because he has failed to prove an Edwards violation, and thus, his cognizable derivative ineffectiveness claim fails. As noted, Martin's claim of an Edwards violation is premised entirely upon his construction of the aforementioned F.B.I, reports, which, he asserts, tainted his inculpatory statement to Agent Vick, as well as the confession he subsequently made to Lebanon County detectives two days later. Martin's construction of such F.B.I, reports is, however, strained. The first F.B.I, report, by Agent Spilsbury, noted that on October 5, 1993, he and Agents Sellers and Lopez initially encountered Martin at the Yuma Police Department. The agents told Martin that they would read him his rights from the standard F.B.I, form. Martin clearly invoked his right to counsel when he responded that he did not wish to talk to anyone about anything until he had spoken with an attorney. Martin also refused to provide the agents with identifying information and the interview was terminated. F.B.I. FD-302 form, transcribed 10/12/93. The second F.B.I, report, by Agent Vick, stated that at approximately 7:45 p.m. that same evening, he looked into the detention cell where Martin was located and observed that Martin appeared to be suffering discomfort from having his hands cuffed behind his back. Agent Vick approached Martin, who told the agent that he had neck and shoulder pain; the agent replied that it could have been caused by the automobile accident that preceded Martin's apprehension. Martin volunteered that he had been high at the time of the accident and did not remember much of the incident. Agent Vick then reminded Martin that he had refused to say anything earlier and had requested an attorney. Agent Vick then uncuffed Martin's hands from behind and re-cuffed them in the front. The report further indicates that at that point, Martin stated that he would be willing to talk to Agent Vick, but not to the agent who had questioned him earlier that day (presumably one among Agents Spilsbury, Sellers, or Lopez). Agent Vick told Martin that if he wanted to make a voluntary statement, the agent would first advise him of his constitutional rights. Martin agreed to be so advised, repeated that he wanted to make a voluntary statement, and asked for a soda to drink. Martin was then removed from detention, moved to an interview room, and given a soda. Another agent joined them to witness the proceedings. Martin reviewed Agent Vick's written version of the foregoing encounter, signed his acknowledgment, was read his rights from the F.B.I.'s standard form, and responded both verbally and by signature that he understood them; he then read and signed the waiver portion of the form. Thereafter, Martin gave an inculpatory statement. F.B.I. FD-302 form, transcribed 10/14/93. In its merits discussion, [14] the PCRA court recognized Edwards ' prohibition against further police-initiated interrogation of a suspect in custody who has invoked his rights and noted that Martin clearly was in custody when he spoke to Agent Vick. The court then focused on whether the encounter with Agent Vick amounted to interrogation. Based on the F.B.I, reports Martin proffered, the court concluded that Agent Vick's actions in approaching Martin and speaking to him did not constitute interrogation, and therefore, no Edwards violation had been established. In the court's view, it was Martin, not Agent Vick, who initiated actual discussion about the murder; indeed, even after the agent reminded Martin of his previous invocation of his rights to silence and counsel, Martin expressed willingness to discuss the incident, was re-read Miranda warnings by the agent, and explicitly waived his rights both verbally and by signing the F.B.I.'s standardized waiver form. The PCRA court further concluded that Martin did not establish any coercion or intimidation with regard to the circumstances of his encounter with Agent Vick. PCRA Court Opinion, 3/5/04, at 24-28. We find that the PCRA court's holding in this regard is supported by the record and is free from legal error. In Commonwealth v. Santiago, 528 Pa. 516, 599 A.2d 200 (1991), this Court summarized the holdings of key United States Supreme Court cases concerning the Fifth Amendment right to counsel as follows: In Miranda, the United States Supreme Court determined that in order to protect the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination from the inherently compelling pressures of custodial interrogation, [i]f an individual states that he wants an attorney, the interrogation must cease until an attorney is present. In Edwards, the Court determined that . . . once a suspect asserts the right, he may not be further interrogated until counsel has been made available to him, . . . . Recently, in [ Minnick v. Mississippi, 498 U.S. 146, 111 S.Ct. 486, 112 L.Ed.2d 489 (1990)], the Court clarified the Edwards rule by holding that when counsel is requested, interrogation must cease, and officials may not reinitiate interrogation without counsel present, whether or not the accused has consulted with his attorney. Id. at 201 (citations omitted); see also Maryland v. Shatzer, ___ U.S. ___, ___, 130 S.Ct. 1213, ___ L.Ed.2d ___ (2010) ( Miranda gives protective force to rights to silence and counsel arising from Fifth Amendment privilege against compelled self-incrimination); Florida v. Powell, ___ U.S. ___, ___, 130 S.Ct. 1195, ___ L.Ed.2d ___ (2010) (same). This Court further addressed Edwards v. Arizona in Commonwealth v. Edwards, 588 Pa. 151, 903 A.2d 1139 (2006): [A] defendant who requests counsel at any time during a custodial interview is not subject to further interrogation by the authorities until counsel has been made available to him. . . . Id. at 1150 (internal quotation marks omitted). However, a confession given after a defendant invokes his right to counsel need not be suppressed where the defendant: (1) initiated further communication, exchanges, or conversations with the police, and (2) knowingly and intelligently waived the right to counsel. Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). After careful review of the F.B.I, reports upon which Martin premises his claim, we agree with the PCRA court that Agent Vick's actions did not amount to an interrogation, and that Martin voluntarily initiated the communication that led to his explicit Miranda waiver and the series of statements he now challenges. As the PCRA court found, although Agent Vick approached Martin to inquire about the pain he was suffering as a result of the placement of his handcuffs, it was Martin who evidenced a willingness to discuss the murder with Agent Vick. Thus, we find that Martin's incriminating statements to Agent Vick did not violate his Fifth Amendment right to speak to authorities only in the presence of counsel. By the same token, Martin's confession to Lebanon County detectives does not suffer from the constitutional taint that he alleges. Once Martin initiated the contact with Agent Vick and voluntarily incriminated himself, he effectively waived his Fifth Amendment right to speak to authorities only in the presence of counsel. Significantly, the confession Martin gave to the Lebanon County detectives was preceded by an independent and explicit Miranda waiver. N.T., 10/10/94, at 913-14. Martin does not contend that anything more was required; rather his entire argument regarding the confession is premised on the alleged unconstitutional nature of the encounter with Agent Vick. Moreover, for obvious reasons, the F.B.I, reports upon which Martin relies make no reference to the purported interrogation by Lebanon County detectives, and Martin does not demonstrate, independent of the encounter with Agent Vick, how the admission of the confession to Lebanon County detectives implicates the Fifth Amendment. Accordingly, we conclude that there is no arguable merit to Martin's claim that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to seek suppression of his confession on Fifth Amendment grounds, and for failing to offer evidence in support of such claim at the suppression hearing.