Court Opinion

ID: 9847554
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:02:12.744033+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:17:20.136456
License: Public Domain

Justice MARTIN
dissenting.
The record on appeal discloses that defendant was born on 16 December 1966. On the date of the murder, 30 July 1983, he was 16 years and 7Vz months old. It is to be remembered that defendant was charged with and pleaded guilty to murder in the first degree. The majority grants defendant a new trial for the reason that defendant’s mother was not present when he confessed to the murder, holding that this violated defendant’s rights under N.C.G.S. § 7A-595(a)(3).
For the reasons set out in my concurring opinion in State v. Fincher, 309 N.C. 1, 23, 305 S.E. 2d 685, 699 (1983), I dissent from the holding that N.C.G.S. § 7A-595(a)(3) (1981) is applicable to defendant Smith. This statute applies only to juvenile delinquency proceedings.
In effect, the majority seeks to engraft an additional requirement upon officers before interrogating persons under the age of eighteen, who are being investigated on charges of murder in the first degree, by requiring that they be advised that they have a *109right to have a parent or guardian present during questioning. This result is reached by reasoning that the statute defines a juvenile as one who has not reached his eighteenth birthday; defendant is only 16 V2 years old, so he is entitled to the benefit of the statute. N.C.G.S. § 7A-595(a)(3) simply does not apply to investigations of murder charges where the defendant is more than sixteen years old.
Additionally, in this case defendant expressly waived in writing the presence of his mother during his questioning:
Before you are asked any questions, it is required that YOU BE ADVISED OF YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
1. You have the right to remain silent, [si yes]
2. Anything you say can be and may be used against you. [si yes]
3. You have the right to have a parent, guardian, or custodian present during questioning, [si yes]
4. You have a right to talk with a lawyer for advice before questioning and to have that lawyer with you during questioning. If you do not have a lawyer and want one, a lawyer will be appointed for you. [si yes]
5. If you consent to answer questions now, without a lawyer, parent, or guardian present, you still will have the right to stop answering at any time, [si yes]
Waiver of Rights
I have read this statement of my Constitutional Rights and I intelligently understand what my rights are. I am willing to make a statement and answer questions. I do not want an attorney at this time. I do not want a parent, guardian, or custodian present during questioning. I understand and know what I am doing. No promise or threats have been made to me and no pressure or coercion of any kind has been used against me.
SIGNED: Curtis Eugene Smith
The majority does not address the voluntariness of defendant’s waiver, nor shall I. However, consideration of defendant’s waiver *110is necessary under the majority’s theory of the law in order to determine whether the perceived violation of the statute was harmless error. N.C.G.S. § 15A-1443(a) (1983).
For these reasons, I dissent.