Opinion ID: 6107541
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The San Quentin Interview

Text: On March 21, 2003, six years after the murder, Sergeant Scott Dudek and Detective Edward Chicoine went to San Quentin to interview defendant.  They knew he was scheduled to be released from prison in about two weeks. His criminal record reflected two prior rape convictions as well as the spousal assault for which he was then incarcerated. Chicoine testified that he and Dudek concocted a ruse, planning to present themselves as 290 investigators looking into defendant's past sexual offenses before he returned to the community. (See § 290 et seq. [Sex Offender Registration Act].) Although Chicoine was in fact responsible for monitoring released sex offenders, he was also a homicide investigator and his true goal was to talk about the McKenna case. The interview was tape recorded, though there was some preliminary conversation before the recording began. Chicoine and Dudek identified themselves as deputies with the Alameda County Sheriff's Department. At the beginning of the tape, Chicoine said: Ok. Carl, like I've explained to you before we want to talk to you about some of your past crimes and some of the sex registration laws and things like that. Before we do that, I had mentioned to you before that we're going to read you your rights .... Chicoine then recited the Miranda rights. Defendant said he understood them, was willing to talk, and signed a written waiver. As he was filling out the form, he asked if his parole would be affected [i]f I don't answer any of these questions. Chicoine replied, No, absolutely not. When defendant asked if [y]ou do that for everybody now? All the sex registrants? Dudek replied it was our normal procedure. Chicoine explained: I list every single sex registrant that comes across my desk, I look at. Every single one and I'm constantly on the phone and I have two files full. Chicoine said, And here's, here's one of the things that I do just so you know, is that, you know, especially when you're out there your whole goal in life is you want to stay in my file. I mean you're going to be there for life anyhow. Defendant echoed that he would be there for life anyway. Chicoine said, Right. But you want to stay [i]n the filing cabinet. Defendant said Yeah. Chicoine continued, If you're causing a problem or if  I'm getting called or whatever else, then it gets put in a red file and it sits on my desk and I have about 4 or 5 of them on my desk at any time. And those are the guys that I'm looking for. Those are the guys I'm going after. So, the goal ... objective is to stay in the file and stay off my desk. Correct? 4 Defendant's response is not audible, but Chicoine followed up with All right.   For about an hour, they discussed defendant's job prospects, family background, substance abuse issues, and prior offenses. After reviewing the assault on Brenda, Chicoine told defendant we want to look at other things to see if, you know, maybe you have an involvement in, in other situations that were out in that area. He asked if defendant remembered an incident where there was a girl that died? Defendant said, My neighbor next door. He did not remember her name, but said he had a drink at the manager's house with her and we got high at the manager's house together. Dudek showed defendant a picture of McKenna, and defendant recognized her as my neighbor. Chicoine gave her name Susan McKenna, and defendant acknowledged we called her Sue. He said at the time of the murder his parole officer had asked him if he knew anything, and he told her no. They talked about defendant's use of drugs with McKenna and asked if he had a sexual relationship with her. Defendant admitted that he did, saying it was a hit and run, a single occasion a day or two before her death. He was surprised no one had come to see him after she died, because I know what my record looks like. He said they had had [r]egular missionary style sex, and answered No when asked if it was rough sex. He said it was just spontaneous sex. He denied biting her. Chicoine asked if anyone had suspected him of the murder. Defendant said, Yes, even his wife thought so. When Dudek inquired what he had told his wife, defendant became reticent, and said he needed to go to the bathroom. He admitted, I told Brenda I know what happened, then again asked to use the restroom. Pressed by Chicoine for the gist of what you told Brenda, defendant said It was so long ago, I cannot remember. I'm not going to bullshit you. The tape recorder was turned off and defendant went to the restroom. When he returned, he invoked his Miranda rights. The officers turned the recorder back on, and said defendant wanted to tell us something specifically. Defendant said, No disrespect to both of you gentlemen. I understand where this is leading to, this conversation and I would rather not say anything else until I have a public defender of mine. The officers stopped the interrogation and said they had a search warrant for blood and buccal swabs, dental casts, and his shoes. They said if he wanted to talk to them again, You have to initiate the contact. Defendant said he understood and asked if they had a card. They each gave him one, and repeated that he needed to initiate contact, telling him to get ahold of the guards here and say I want to talk. Defendant responded, [or] my counselor [or my captain or something]. The tape recording ended. Chicoine testified that defendant said he wanted to tell them what happened, but would like to talk to a counselor first, which Chicoine understood to mean a religious counselor. Defendant said he would call them after he had that opportunity.  Chicoine conceded that defendant's final statements about wanting to talk after consulting a counselor were not on the tape, or in his police report, written five days later. A supplemental report from April 3, however, includes the following summary: Molano had previously invoked his right to an attorney during an interview ... on 3/21/03. At that time, Molano told us that he intended to call us and tell us everything about his involvement with Suzanne McKenna's murder, but said he wanted to have a counseling session with his psychologist first. Dudek explained  to Molano that we would not be able to contact him, and that if he wanted to tell us anything regarding  the crime, he would have to contact us. The officers finished collecting samples from defendant, and informed prison staff of his status as a suspect. Chicoine said it was understood that he would be placed in a more secure situation, because of the possibility of [a] criminal complaint coming down in the future.