Opinion ID: 476759
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Admission of Van Y's statements to Agent Straba.

Text: 12 At the hearing on defendant Van Y's Motion to Suppress, 1 Agent Straba testified the following occurred after the search was completed: 13 I spoke to Ms. Van Y on one of her trips to the bathroom. When she was in the hallway, I was in the bedroom where the movies were discovered, and I spoke with her and told her that after we found the movies in the bedroom there--the child pornographic movies, that we had a very good case against her, and that it would be advisable--that she was going to be in big trouble, and it would be advisable if she talked to me about it. 14 M.Tr. 8. Denying he made Van Y any promises contingent upon her speaking to him or used on her any coercive tactics, Agent Straba testified, I told her that if she spoke with us and told us the truth, told us exactly what was happening, and what was--exactly the circumstances, that I would give that information to the Assistant United States Attorney. 2 Id. at 9. Van Y then said she wanted to talk to Garot, and the two were allowed to confer in the bathroom. After leaving the bathroom, Van Y entered the master bedroom with Detective Haroldson and Agent Straba and stated she was prepared to tell them, but she didn't know whether she should have an attorney. Agent Straba again recited the Miranda rights and advised her to call an attorney if she wanted one. Although she had access to the telephone, Van Y made no effort to contact counsel. Id. at 10. 15 Referring to Garot's recent heart by-pass operation, Van Y said she would take the blame because Bob (Garot) was not healthy enough to go to jail. Id.; T.Tr., Vol. II, 98. Van Y explained Garot received a call from his friend in California to whom he was to send the controlled delivery package, then she walked into the living room and returned with a red address book in which she pointed out the name, Norman Monte-Eaton, as the intended recipient of the package. T.Tr., Vol. II, 90. 16 On appeal, Van Y asserts the district court erred by admitting her statements into evidence because, in violation of her Fifth Amendment constitutional rights, Agent Straba coerced her to incriminate herself by promising leniency in return for her confession. Van Y contends she did not voluntarily waive her Miranda right to remain silent because she confessed as a result of fear and the belief she would be granted leniency. 17 In support of her contention, Van Y cites two United States District Court cases, Hunter v. Swenson, 372 F.Supp. 287 (W.D.Mo.1974) and United States v. Williams, 447 F.Supp. 631 (Del.1978). Hunter addressed facts similar to the instant facts in that a police officer informed the defendant he would relay to the prosecuting attorney all information concerning the defendant's cooperation. However, the officer went further by reciting the nature of the charges that could be filed and conveying a message from the prosecutor setting out the possibility the defendant could be charged with a lesser offense if he would give a truthful statement and if he was not a principal in the criminal activity. 18 Holding that the officer's statements were not a promise of leniency, the Hunter court set out the governing standards of law for determining whether the defendant reasonably relied upon such promises to the abrogation of his constitutional rights: 19 Considering the 'totality of the circumstances,' Boulden v. Holman, 394 U.S. 478, 480 [89 S.Ct. 1138, 1139, 22 L.Ed.2d 433] (1969); Haynes v. Washington, 373 U.S. 503, 513 [83 S.Ct. 1336, 1342, 10 L.Ed.2d 513] (1963), if [the] statement was ' obtained by any direct or implied promises, however slight, 'Bram v. United States, 168 U.S. 532, 542 [18 S.Ct. 183, 186, 42 L.Ed. 568] (1897), the statement was not voluntary; or if [defendant] reasonably believed that a promise of leniency had been made to him, even though no such belief induced his statement, the statement was not voluntary, Grades v. Boles, 398 F.2d 409, 412 (4th Cir.1968); United States v. Harris, 301 F.Supp. 996, 99 (E.D.Wis.1969); United States ex rel. Caserino v. Denno, 259 F.Supp. 784, 790 (S.D.N.Y.1966). 20 Id. at 298. The court then listed the following four questions that flesh out these standards: 21 First, was an express or implied promise of lenience made to [defendant]? Secondly, if no promise of lenience was made, did [defendant] reasonably believe that such a promise had been made? Thirdly, if a promise was made or if [defendant] reasonably believed that a promise had been made, was his statement induced by that promise in a 'but for' sense? Fourthly, if a promise was made or if [defendant] reasonably believed that a promise had been made, and this promise or belief induced his statement in a 'but for' sense, was the inducing promise coercive? 22 Id. In this case, as in Hunter, the record supports negative answers to these questions. 23 First, no express or implied promise of leniency was ever made to Van Y. Without mentioning specific charges or possible reductions, Agent Straba merely said Van Y could be in big trouble, and if she were to tell the truth about what occurred, he would relay the information to the prosecutor. Nothing in that statement can be construed to be a promise of leniency, particularly when compared to the discussion of a possible plea negotiation the Hunter court determined did not meet the standards set out above. 24 Secondly, Van Y did not reasonably believe that a promise of leniency had been made to her. The logical extension of our determination that no such promise was ever made is that any belief Van Y might have entertained concerning leniency is unreasonable where no specific charges or possible reductions were discussed. 25 Thirdly, we cannot conclude Van Y would not have made her statements but for a real or imagined promise of leniency as she agreed to take the blame after citing as her overriding concern, the fear Garot could not withstand imprisonment because of his heart condition. 26 Fourthly, Van Y was not coerced to make her statements. As the Hunter court stated: 27 The question in 'plea bargaining' situations is not whether the guilty plea would have been made but for the promise of leniency, but whether the promise was coercive in nature, i.e. whether the accused was so gripped by the hope of leniency that he did not or could not freely and rationally choose among the available courses of action. 28 Id. at 300. That court condemned the mere but for test as overlooking the narrower question of compulsion. Id. at 301. 29 For guidance on what constitutes the determinative compulsion or coercion, we look to the second case cited, United States v. Williams, 447 F.Supp. 631. Rejecting the argument that Bram v. United States, 168 U.S. 532, 18 S.Ct. 183, 42 L.Ed. 568 (1897), requires application of an inflexible per se rule condemning any incriminating statement obtained as a result of a promissory inducement, the Williams court held that the totality of the circumstances must be examined in order to evaluate the voluntariness of a statement. Id. at 637. That court then delineated a non-exhaustive list of factors including whether: 30 (1) defendant is in custody at the time of the statement; (2) defendant is alone and unrepresented by counsel; (3) the promise or inducement is initiated by prosecuting officials as opposed to defendant or someone acting on his behalf; (4) defendant is aware of his constitutional and other legal rights; (5) the potentially incriminating statement is part of an abortive plea bargain; (6) the promises or inducements leading to the statement are fulfilled by prosecuting authorities; and (7) defendant is subjected to protracted interrogation or evidence appears on the record to show that coercion precludes the statement from being knowing and intelligent. 31 Id. at 636, 637 (citations omitted). We find nothing in the record to persuade us Van Y was overborne or coerced as contemplated in these decisions. Neither Van Y nor Garot was in custody at the time the statements were made because they were not under arrest and were free to leave their home at any time during and after the search. 3 United States v. Hall, 421 F.2d 540 (2d Cir.1969), cert. denied, 397 U.S. 990, 90 S.Ct. 1123, 25 L.Ed.2d 398 (1970). Van Y contends she did not knowingly and intelligently waive her right to counsel; however, Agent Straba gave her the Miranda warnings given upon entry of the house, repeated them when she mentioned obtaining counsel, and encouraged her to telephone an attorney which she chose not to do. The record does not show Van Y was unaware of her constitutional rights. Regarding the issue of leniency, no plea negotiation was discussed and, as determined above, no promise made. Agent Straba fulfilled the one promise he did make, e.g., he related to the prosecutor the information concerning Van Y's cooperation. Finally, the record is devoid of any showing of protracted interrogation or coercion that would preclude the statement from being made knowingly and intelligently. After Agent Straba's remark concerning the conveyance of information, Van Y and Garot were free to confer in the privacy of the bathroom, following which conference, Van Y immediately volunteered the statements at issue. Clearly, the officers neither interrogated nor engaged in any activities that approached coercion of Van Y. 32 Accordingly, the district court did not commit error by admitting Van Y's statements concerning use of the mails for transportation of obscene materials. 33