Legal Document

474 U.S. 104 106 S.Ct. 445 88 L.Ed.2d 405 Frank M. MILLER, Jr., Petitionerv.Peter J. FENTON, Superintendent, Rahway State Prison, et al. No. 84-5786. Argued Oct. 16, 1985. Decided Dec. 3, Opinion on remand, 796 F.2d 598. Syllabus Petitioner, after a 58-minute interrogation at the New Jersey Police Barracks, confessed to murder. The trial court rejected his motion suppress confession, and jury found him guilty of first-degree Superior Court Appellate Division reversed, finding as matter law that confession was result compulsion thus impermissible under Fourteenth Amendment's due process guarantee. Supreme finding, examining "totality all surrounding circumstances," proper resulting being voluntary, had been properly admitted into evidence. Petitioner then sought writ habeas corpus in Federal District Court, which dismissed petition without an evidentiary hearing. Appeals affirmed, holding voluntariness is "factual issue" within meaning 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d), provides state-court findings fact, with certain exceptions, "shall be presumed correct" federal proceeding, accordingly review Court's determination petitioner's voluntary limited whether applied legal test its factual conclusions were supported by record. Under this standard, concluded denial proper. Held: not issue fact entitled 2254(d) presumption but question meriting independent consideration proceeding. Pp. 109-118. (a) There no support decisions for suggestion enactment 1966 altered prior cases ultimate "voluntariness" requiring determination. More importantly, 2254(d)'s history undermines any argument Congress intended admissibility treated provision. 109-112. (b) In addition considerations stare decisis congressional intent, nature inquiry itself lends case. Moreover, practical have led find other issues scope are absent context. Unlike such impartiality juror or competency stand trial, assessments credibility demeanor crucial resolution voluntariness. And critical events taking almost invariably occur, open court, secret more coercive environment. 112-118. 741 1456, (CA3 1984), reversed remanded. O'CONNOR, J., delivered opinion BURGER, C.J., BRENNAN, WHITE, MARSHALL, BLACKMUN, POWELL, STEVENS, JJ., joined. REHNQUIST, filed dissenting opinion, post, P. 118. Paul Martin Klein, East Orange, N.J., petitioner. Anne C. Paskow, Trenton, respondents. Justice O'CONNOR Court. 1 proceeding unless one eight enumerated exceptions applies.1 presented presumption. 2 * On morning August 13, 1973, stranger approached rural home 17-year-old Deborah Margolin told her heifer loose foot driveway. She set out alone investigate never returned. Later day, mutilated body nearby stream. 3 victim's brothers able provide description stranger's car clothing. Based information, officers tentatively identified petitioner and, later evening, place employment. responded officers' preliminary inquiries agreed return police barracks further questioning. Approximately two hours later, Detective Charles Boyce room informed Miranda rights. inquired about privilege remain silent executed written waiver, validity issue. 4 A 58 minute long session ensued. During course interview, Ms. just died. That statement, knew untrue, another officer's earlier, equally false, victim still alive could identify attacker. App. 16-17; Record 109 305. also he earlier day. Margolin's only provided general Finally, indicated blood stains front stoop. No evidence introduced respondents do now contend it ever existed. 5 Throughout himself sympathetic plight. several occasions, stated did consider criminal because perpetrator deed "mental problem" needed medical help rather than punishment. 19.2 Eventually, fully crime. After doing so, lapsed what described "state shock." 84-85. Repeated efforts rouse from stupor failed, summoned ambulance transport hospital. 6 murder first degree. "intense mind bending psychological compulsion" therefore guarantee process. 53. Over three dissents, again. v. Miller, 76 N.J. 392, 388 A.2d 218 (1978). including educational level, age, awareness rights, "did exceed bounds," Id., 402-405, A.2d, 223-224. 7 United States Jersey. application divided panel Third Circuit affirmed. 1456 (1984). Relying precedent,3 held 2254(d). Accordingly, "limited state test, [its] . [were] record whole." F.2d, 1462. concluded, relief 8 Because Courts reached differing determinations correctness, issue's importance administration justice, we granted certiorari. 471 1003, 105 1863, 85 157 (1985). Compare Brantley McKaskle, 722 187, 188 (CA5 1984) "( [V]oluntariness mixed fact"), Alexander Smith, 582 212, 217 (CA2) (state-court presumption), cert. denied, 439 990, 99 589, 664 We reverse remand. II 9 This has techniques, either isolation unique characteristics particular suspect, so offensive civilized system justice they must condemned Due Process Clause Amendment. Brown Mississippi, 297 278, 56 461, 80 L.Ed. 682 (1936), wellspring notion, deeply embedded our law. Faced statements extracted beatings forms physical torture, confessions procured means "revolting sense justice" used secure conviction. 286, 465. numerous subsequent occasions aside convictions secured through admission improperly obtained confession. See, e.g., Mincey Arizona, 437 385, 98 2408, 57 290 (1978); Haynes Washington, 373 503, 83 1336, 10 513 (1963); Ashcraft Tennessee, 322 143, 64 921, 1192 (1944); Chambers Florida, 309 227, 235-238, 60 472, 476-77, 84 716 (1940). Although these framed variety different ways, usually "convenient shorthand" asking "involuntary," Blackburn Alabama, 361 199, 207, 274, 280, 242 (1960), analysis consistently animated view "ours accusatorial inquisitorial system," Rogers Richmond, 365 534, 541, 81 735, 739, 760 (1961), that, accordingly, tactics eliciting inculpatory fall broad constitutional boundaries imposed fundamental fairness. Indeed, even Fifth Amendment against compulsory self-incrimination applies context custodial interrogations, 384 436, 478, 86 1602, 1629, 16 694 (1966), binding States, Malloy Hogan, 378 1, 6, 1489, 1492, 12 653 (1964), continued measure requirements supra, U.S., 402, S.Ct., 2418; Beecher 389 35, 38, 189, 191, 19 35 (1967) (per curiam ). Without exception, hold 515-516, 1344; 147-148, 923. As recently 1978, reaffirmed "not bound by" reiterated historic "duty make evaluation record." 398, 2416. duty, makes explicit, instances claim conduct "inherently coercive." 154, 926. It when techniques improper because, circumstances case, unlikely product free rational will. See 401, 2418. both categories same—whether manner comports process—the leave doubt obligation decide identical. 11 Mincey, Ashcraft, many early applying independent-determination rule came direct appeal judgments. rule, however, less firmly established coming corpus. Davis North Carolina, 737, 1761, 895 resolved unmistakable clarity. There, elicited impoverished, mentally deficient suspect who incommunicado days barely adequate nourishment. Expressly relying direct-appeal cases, unequivocally concerning 741-742, 1764. decided four months before signed Act Nov. 2, 1966, Pub.L. 89-711, Stat. 1105. Respondent contends whatever may case year fundamentally findings. suggeston finds decisions. Boulden Holman, 394 480, 89 1138, 1139, 22 433 (1969) (finding making "an study entire record"); Frazier Cupp, 731, 1420, 1424, 684 (examining circumstances" assess confession). amendment verbatim codification standards delineated Townsend Sain, 372 293, 745, 770 (1963), determining district hearing acting petition. When obligatory, held, "ordinarily should accept facts found" 318, 759. elevated exhortation mandatory correctness. But there absolutely indication alter Townsend's understanding "ultimate question" "mixed questio[n] law" subject plenary review. 309, n. 755 6. 13 short, unbroken line applications lower courts corpus, forecloses Appeals' conclusion merits something consideration. To sure, subsidiary questions, drug properties truth serum, id., 306, 753, engaged intimidation alleged defendant, LaVallee Delle Rose, 410 690, 693-695, 93 1203, 1205, 637 (1973) ), should, course, give great weight considered coequal judiciary. Culombe Connecticut, 367 568, 605, 1860, 1880, 1037 (1961) (opinion Frankfurter, J.). But, reaffirm, whether, totality circumstances, challenged compatible Constitution III 14 recognized treating difficult square "fifty years caselaw" believed, substantial contrary precedent controlling light recent addressing Wainwright Witt, 469 412, 429, 844, 854, 841 (1985) (trial court's prospective capital excluded cause presumption); Patton Yount, 467 1025, 2885, 847 (1984) (impartiality individual juror); Rushen Spain, 464 114, 453, 78 267 (1983) ) (effect ex parte communication Maggio Fulford, 462 111, 103 2261, 794 (competency trial); Marshall Lonberger, 459 422, 431-437, 843, 849-852, 74 646 (determination defendant received understood sufficient notice charges render plea voluntary). acknowledge charted entirely clear area. reject, case-specific holdings tacitly overturned longstanding 15 context, elsewhere, appropriate methodology distinguishing questions been, say least, elusive. Bose Corp. Consumers Union Inc., 466 485, 1949, 502 (1984); Baumgartner 665, 671, 1240, 1243, 1525 (1944). few principles, well established. For example, involves inconsistent fact. supra. Equally clearly, does lose character merely dispositive question. Dayton Board Education Brinkman, 443 526, 2971, 2977, 61 720 (1979) intent discriminate "clearly erroneous" standard review). beyond elemental propositions, negative form, yet arrive "a principle will unerringly distinguish conclusion." Pullman-Standard Swint, 456 273, 288, 102 1781, 1789, 72 66 (1982). Perhaps much difficulty area stems decision label "question law," fact," fact" sometimes allocation analysis. Monaghan, Constitutional Fact Review, Colum.L.Rev. 229, 237 At least those spoken falls somewhere between pristine simple historical fact/law distinction times turned sound judicial actor better positioned Where, proof actual malice First libel relevant can given reluctant trier fact's presumptive force doing, strip appellate primary function expositor 1961. Similarly, rare past justified compensating "perceived shortcomings way bias some factor. ." 518, 1969. (REHNQUIST, dissenting). 516, Watts Indiana, 338 49, 52, 69 1347, 1348, 1801 (1949) Cf. Norris 294 587, 55 579, 79 1074 (1935). 17 contrast, often suggest appropriateness resolving close status "law" "fact" favor extending deference court. When, witnesses turns largely demeanor, compelling familiar justifications leaving according weight. illustrative. stressed judge position far superior judges reviewing Principally reason, treatment notwithstanding intimate connection impartial jury. 18 reasons think would inappropriate abandon note outset write clean slate. "Very weighty underlie lightly overrule decisions." Moragne Marine Lines, 398 375, 403, 90 1772, 26 339 (1970). Thus, assuming contemporary respondent's construction statute, nearly half century unwavering weighs heavily discard settled previously noted, patterned clearly assumed concerns compelling, but, unlike (1983), benefit guidance disputed outside provision ambiguities, certainly enough tip scales reach "psychological 603, 1879, always uniquely dimension. telling looked admissibility. locus right significant reflects extracting statements, presumes innocence assures conviction defendant's overborne. Gallegos Colorado, 370 51, 82 1209, 1211, 325 (1962) (suggesting compound influences" requires condemned); 1880 (describing "amphibian"). hybrid quality inquiry,4 subsuming, does, "complex values," militates 20 Putting side analytically akin conclusion, us First, juror, 1036, 2891, 117, 2264, "voluntariness." Of length interrogation, experience process, familiarity warnings, require conflicting testimony defendant. matters conclusive if fairly inapplicable. once underlying resolved, moment comes consistent Constitution, appreciably 21 Second, allocution plea, adjudication bias, (1985), take full marked occur inherently 458, 1619. These standing alone, cannot However, together inevitable understandable reluctance exclude otherwise reliable guilt, Jackson Denno, 368, 381, 1774, 1783, 908 elevate risk erroneous might inadvertently frustrate protection right. Ward Texas, 316 547, 62 1663 (1942). reiterate confidence judges, their counterparts, discharge duty protect rights defendants. traditionally played important parallel role protecting stake prosecution secures own admissions. IV defending presumption, carefully analyzing suggested brief footnote "would same result" 1467, 21. Inasmuch language independently evaluate event, warrants fuller below remand proceedings opinion. 23 ordered. 24 dissenting. 25 decides correct I sensibly correctness Sumner Mata, 449 539, 101 764, (1981); 455 591, 1303, 71 480 (1982) curiam); 849-52, (1983); 1036-1038, 2891-2893, 426-430, 853-855, While relies principally reaches today, upon entailed difference deemed immaterial, seems me reason excluding embodied All cited evince reasoned approach interesting somewhat mystical exegesis 603-605, 1879-80, disagree second run majority made evaluated defined today. unfortunate challenge occurred ago additional unnecessary litigation delay. 27 respectfully dissent. pertinent part, provides: "In instituted person custody pursuant judgment issue, competent jurisdiction shall correct, unless. "(8) concludes following exchange representative tone interrogation. "Boyce: 'Frank, look, you want help, don't you, Frank?' "Miller: 'Yes, uh huh, yes, I'm, I'm going admit wasn't involved in.' 'We to, talk me, that's all. talking admitting anything Frank. me. tell think. how this, this?' 'What it?' 'Yeah.' 'I whoever really needs help.' 'And know. They don't, need punishment, right? Like said, 'Right.' 'Now, it's someone knows she mental problem come forward say, I've, I've done acts, responsible helped, couldn't myself, control myself examined you'll case.' " 'Okay. [L]isten Frank, [i]f promise know, psychiatrist everything, get it.' can't .' 'Alright, listen alright, honest. know what's inside now. You've got it. we'll work out. mean, listen, my mind, responsible. You responsible, matter?' feel bad.' 17-22. relied waiver Patterson Cuyler, 729 925, 930 present presents occasion address accord statutory waiver. rubric variously "useless," Paulson, Degree, Stan.L.Rev. 411, 430 (1954); "perplexing," Grano, Voluntariness, Free Will, Law Confessions, 65 Va.L.Rev. 859, 863 (1979); "legal 'double-talk,' A. Beisel, Control Illegal Enforcement Criminal Law: Role 48 (1955). generally Y. Kamisar, Interrogation Confessions 1-25 (1980).

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