Opinion ID: 2976881
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Police Arrive at Coomer’s Apartment

Text: The facts surrounding Coomer’s confessions at her apartment were explored in considerable detail during an evidentiary hearing conducted by the Michigan trial court. The court summarized the testimony as follows: The evidence here showed that approximately nine to eleven officers were at the scene of Defendant Coomer’s apartment on December 30, 1996 at about 11:45 p.m. Defendant Coomer testified that two marked cars were parked in a manner that she could observe them blocking her vehicle, while all other witnesses testified that no police vehicles were parked in a manner that Defendant Coomer could observe them out any of her apartment windows. Defendant Coomer [testified that] she had never had any prior experience with police officers and had had a friend over one to one and a half hours earlier in the evening with whom she used alcohol and marijuana. The evidence is not clear as to w[h]ether she was told that she was under arrest. Sergeant Kucyk indicated that she had been told that she was not. Defendant indicated that no one told her whether she was or not. Defendant Coomer was 20 years of age, had graduated from high school and had a 4.0 grade point average. There was extensive testimony offered by the People to establish where each officer stood, what role each officer played and where each officer parked. The testimony given by numerous officers . . . was consistent as to overall locations and roles with minor variations as to the exact location of a fellow officer’s vehicle or position. Defendant testified that when she opened her door, she saw at least three uniformed officers at her door, while two plain clothes officers stepped from behind a wall. Defendant further testified that three officers entered her apartment while two remained outside her door on Detective Kucyk’s instruction. The People elicited consistent testimony from the officers that placed only three officers at her door with only two plain officers – two plain clothes officers entering the apartment. Coomer testified [that] one police officer came inside only momentarily and left within minutes; thereafter leaving only Kucyk and [Sergeant] Sanborn inside the apartment when [Coomer’s first confession] was made. Defendant testified that an officer accompanied her through the apartment while she searched for cigarettes during her confession. The officers testified this did not occur and Defendant had had the opportunity to walk throughout her apartment freely at all times. Finally, Defendant testified that she felt that she was in custody the moment she saw Sergeant Kucyk at her door because she had seen him on the news and knew him to be the lead detective in the Iverson homicide investigation. The evidence further showed that Defendant Coomer invited the officers into her apartment upon their request [by intercom] and shortly commenced telling them her version of what she knew about Deborah Iverson. While she . . . was not advised of her rights until about four hours later, . . . there was no physical or mental abuse of any nature exercised by the police. While Defendant testified that she had used alcohol and marijuana earlier, at least one to one and one-half hours had passed since consumption and there was no apparent signs of intoxication[;] [n]or was Defendant in ill health or deprived of sleep. When asked by the Court if she felt coerced in any way, Defendant replied “no.” In fact, she gave her verbal statements to officers while weeping, suggesting remorse No. 06-1235 Coomer v. Yukins Page 4 but clearly without any signs of threats or coercion appearing from the testimony on the record. (JA at 177-78.) In addition, Patrolman Hannah of the Clawson Police Department, who first called Coomer on her intercom before proceeding to her apartment, had previous contact with Coomer on matters related to domestic assault. Kucyk testified that he told Coomer, when in her apartment, that he and Sanborn were present to talk with her, that she was not under arrest, and importantly, that if she asked them to leave, they would go. Kucyk also stated that he told Coomer several times during their discussion that she was not under arrest.