Court Opinion

ID: 9748228
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-27 15:56:26.044962+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:25:33.274441
License: Public Domain

THOMPSON, Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion because I believe there was substantial evidence to support the trial court’s factual findings and, therefore, we are required to affirm.
The voluntariness of the incriminating statements depends upon the totality of the circumstances surrounding the statement and presents a question of fact. Mills v. Commonwealth, 996 S.W.2d 473, 481 (Ky.1999). The applicable standard of review is concisely stated as follows:
If supported by substantial evidence, the factual findings of the trial court shall be conclusive. When the findings of fact are supported by substantial evidence ... the question necessarily becomes, whether the rule of law as applied to the established facts is or is not violated. The second prong involves a de novo review to determine whether the court’s decision is correct as a matter of law. However, a reviewing court should take care both to review findings of historical fact only for clear error and to give due weight to inferences drawn from those facts by resident judges and local law enforcement officers.
Olden v. Com., 203 S.W.3d 672, 676 (Ky.2006) (internal quotations and citations omitted).
Detective Williams read Delacruz his Miranda rights and was convinced that Delacruz understood his right to remain silent. He testified that he was able to converse with Delacruz in English and proceeded to question him only after Delacruz confirmed that he knew he was not required to answer the officer’s questions. Additionally, Delacruz’s neighbor testified that although Delacruz was not fluent in English, he understands more English than he reveals and understands what is said when repeated more than once.
Because I believe that the trial court’s finding that Delacruz understood his Mi*422randa rights is supported by substantial evidence, I would affirm.