Court Opinion

ID: 9540017
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 16:12:16.424768+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:59:31.883590
License: Public Domain

ROVIRA, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
For the reasons set out in the dissents of HODGES, C.J., and LEE, J., in People v. Chavez, Colo., 621 P.2d 1362 (1981) cert. denied, - U.S. -, 101 S.Ct. 3019, 69 L.Ed.2d 398 (1981), in which I joined, I dissent from Part II of the majority opinion.
I also dissent from Part IV of the majority opinion, in which the record in this case is held insufficient, as a matter of law, to support the trial court’s determination that the defendant made a knowing and intelligent waiver of his constitutional right to remain silent in the face of police custodial interrogation.
The majority treats the defendant’s initial refusal to make a statement to the police as the sole evidentiary factor upon which it reverses the trial court’s finding of waiver. However, such momentary silence has at most an equivocal meaning, See Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966). Here the defendant did not explicitly invoke any of his rights under Miranda. Such a circumstance, if it had been present, might weigh heavily against a finding that the suspect waived his right to remain silent, see Michigan v. Mosley, 423 U.S. 96, 96 S.Ct. 321, 46 L.Ed.2d 313 (1975), or waived his right to have an attorney present during interrogation, see Edwards v. Arizona, - U.S. -, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1981). But such a circumstance, I wish to emphasize, was not present here.
Rather, this was a case where the trial court found, and the record amply demonstrates, that the defendant’s response to the officer’s question about where he had obtained a bottle of brandy indicated a knowing and intelligent waiver of his right to be silent. The record establishes that the defendant was given a Miranda advisement prior to his interrogation. Cf. People v. Lee, Colo., 630 P.2d 583 (1981); People v. *582Lowe, Colo., 616 P.2d 118 (1980). He was told that he was in custody as a burglary suspect. He agreed to accompany the officers to the scene of the alleged offense, and he engaged in a conversation with one of the officers while being driven to the scene. He was not subjected to any coercion or deprivation during this process, and he was not “a young or inexperienced citizen being taken into custody.” 1 The record indicates, further, that when the defendant was taken into custody, he told the officers that he did not have anything to hide. In addition to his Miranda warnings, he was advised that he had a right to talk to counsel before making any waivers and that he had a right to stop answering any questions at any time. Cf. Roybal v. People, 178 Colo. 259, 496 P.2d 1019 (1972); Constantine v. People, 178 Colo. 16, 495 P.2d 208 (1972). In general, he adopted a cooperative attitude while in custody. As in People v. Ferran, 196 Colo. 513, 591 P.2d 1013 (1978), there was no indication of any infirmity that might render him especially susceptible to subtle, psychological pressure; 2 he did not deny he understood his constitutional rights; and there was no indication that he lacked adequate capacity to comprehend his situation or his rights.
The trial court did not presume that the defendant’s silence, after Miranda warnings were given, constituted a waiver. See Miranda v. Arizona, supra. Instead, the trial court consciously focused on the question of whether the defendant made a knowing and intelligent waiver of his constitutional rights. Cf. Tague v. Louisiana, 444 U.S. 469, 100 S.Ct. 652, 62 L.Ed.2d 622 (1980).
A criminal suspect’s waiver of Miranda rights need not be explicit, but may be inferred from the actions and words of the person interrogated. North Carolina v. Butler, 441 U.S. 369, 99 S.Ct. 1755, 60 L.Ed.2d 286 (1979). The question of waiver, in such a case, is to be determined from the particular facts and circumstances surrounding the interrogation. Id.; People v. Ferran, supra. The prosecution must establish the defendant’s waiver by clear and convincing proof. Constantine v. People, supra; Reed v. People, 171 Colo. 421, 467 P.2d 809 (1970).
The trial court was aware of the heavy burden under which the prosecution labored in showing that the defendant had waived his right to be silent. It found that the circumstances surrounding the interrogation established that the defendant’s waiver was voluntary, knowing, and intelligent. I would uphold its ruling allowing the statement at issue to be admitted at trial.
I am authorized to say that Chief Justice HODGES joins in this dissent.
I am also authorized to say that Justice LEE concurs in this dissent as to Part II of the majority opinion.

. This was the finding of the trial court. See footnote 7 in the majority opinion which reflects the defendant’s prior felony convictions.

. The bottle of brandy in the defendant’s possession was open and some of its contents were missing. At least one officer smelled an odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from the defendant; but there is no indication on the record that defendant was intoxicated when interrogated.