Court Opinion

ID: 7811734
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-07 17:13:36.009284+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:28:27.721161
License: Public Domain

CONCURRING OPINION. Hart, J. It is conceded by the Attorney General that the result of the questioning of the defendant by the deputy prosecuting attorney and the sheriff in thfe chambers' and in-the presence of the circuit judge elicited testimony which was damaging to the defendant and contrary to some of the testimony given by him at the trial. Judge Smith and myself think the admissibility of the confession in evidence was, under the circumstances, necessarily prejudicial to the rights of the defendant. Although we have found no case precisely in point, we believe that the court should not have admitted the confession in evidence at the trial. W. R. Downing, the sheriff of Garland County, testified that he had an interview with the defendant, Hughes, in the chambers of the circuit judge in the Garland County courthouse on Sunday morning after the arrest of the defendant; that Judge Wood was present and the defendant, Hughes, made certain statements regarding the ease and made them of his own volition. On cross examination the sheriff stated that this was on Sunday morning after the Saturday night before when they had the defendant in the sheriff’s office and questioned him there. Downing further stated that when he first arrested the defendant the latter stated that he did not have anything to say; but could wait until he saw his attorney before making any statement. On the Sunday morning in question, Bumpass, the deputy prosecuting attorney, had the defendant brought up to the judge’s chambers.in the courthouse so that he could talk to him. The defendant at the time was a prisoner in jail. According to the testimony of Downing he- had previously told the defendant that if he was not guilty he ought to tell them what he knew about it, and that if he was guilty, not to say anything. According to the testimony of the defendant, he refused to make a statement' when first arrested and carried to the jail, saying that he wished to see Mr. Walker of Fayetteville, whom he had sent for to be his attorney. The sheriff called him a damned old crook, a murderer, and a liar. He also threatened to turn him over to a mob in. Montgomery County. Tbe prosecuting attorney questioned tbe defendant in an inquisitorial manner and at times would curse and abuse him. Burt Hall, who was present at the time Hughes declined to make a statement, said that Hughes said that he preferred to talk to his attorney first, and testified that the sheriff did not call Hughes a damned old liar and a crook. The sheriff did tell Hughes, however, that if he was not guilty himself he knew who was guilty and asked him why he did not tell it. A little later the sheriff said that if the old man was not going to tell the story, he might just as well call up the Montgomery County men and let them come and get him. Sometime later the old man commenced to talk to them about the case. The sheriff said to him: “If you are a minister and a Christian and you are not guilty, you ought to tell us something about as who is the guilty party.” The question of a mob was discussed in the presence of the defendant, but the witness said that he didn’t recollect that the sheriff or any body else threatened the defendant with a mob. It was also shown that the defendant was very nervous and excited and was weak, tired and hungry at the time he was questioned on Saturday night. The defendant was a witness for himself at the trial. According to his testimony given at that time, the prosecuting attorney abused him very much, and when they took him out of jail he appealed to a man named Floyd not to let them take him to be questioned. Floyd answered him that the prosecuting attorney had a right to take him to the courthouse to question him. We think the evidence of the sheriff and of Hall shows that the alleged confession of the defendant was secured by the indirect threats of those having authority over the defendant when he was arrested. The evidence for the State shows that the defendant was sixty-four years old and was tired, hungry and weak when arrested. When they questioned him on Saturday night he was nervous and excited. Something was said about a mob in Montgomery County. The sheriff told him that it was his duty to speak. The sheriff threatened to send the defendant back to Montgomery County if he did not speak. He said that if he did not have anything to do with the killing it was his duty to speak, but that if he was guilty he need not speak. This did not amount to a warning. On the other hand it was perhaps the most effective way the sheriff could have adopted to obtain a statement from the defendant. It is true that we have held that a statement obtained by questioning the defendant and the fact that he was not cautioned that the statement might be used against him does not render it inadmissible. But it must also be remembered that in this connection we have said that it is always better for the officer to give such warning in order to avoid suspicion of improper inducement. Greenwood v. State, 107 Ark. 568, and Dewein v. State, 114 Ark. 472. . It must be borne in mind that the questioning of the defendant was not for the purpose of satisfying the officers whether the accused was guilty or not; but he was subjected to the ordeal with the deliberate purpose of securing a statement to be used as evidence against him in the trial. It was doubtless done in good faith, but under the circumstances it was a case where their zeal clearly outran their duty. It does not appear from the record that the circuit judge took any part in questioning the defendant in his office or that he knew of the inquisition by the prosecuting attorney the night before. This does not make any difference, however. Under the circumstances the prisoner should have been warned that he need not speak. In Blalock v. State, 31 So. (Miss.) 105, Judge Whit- . field said, that the scale of courage varies from Murat to Aguecheek and that a reasonable apprehension of fear is one that a man of average courage would entertain. Viewed from the standpoint of the defendant, even under the testimony for the State, it is evident that he was overawed by the officers and that the powers of his mind were overcome by their persistent questioning of him and their unconcealed belief in his guilt. His attorney was several hundred miles away and yet they persistently urged him to speak, although he protested that he first wanted to talk with his attorney. No person can be compelled to testify against himself in a criminal case, and a proper appreciation of the rights of the accused forbids the methods resorted to in this case to obtain testimony which was intended to be used against him at his trial. It was obtained by intimidation within the meaning of the law and could not be used against the defendant.