Court Opinion

ID: 9642913
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 18:12:13.103517+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:54.305090
License: Public Domain

ONION, Presiding Judge,
dissenting.
In Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1981), the United States Supreme Court wrote:
“[although we have held that after initially being advised of his Miranda rights, the accused may himself validly waive his rights and respond to interrogation, see North Carolina v. Butler, supra, [441 U.S. 369] at 372-376, 60 L.Ed.2d 286, 99 S.Ct. 1755 [at 1756-59] the Court has strongly indicated that additional safeguards are necessary when the accused asks for counsel; and we now hold that when an accused has invoked his right to have counsel present during custodial interrogation, a valid waiver of that right cannot be established by showing only that he responded to further police-initiated custodial interrogation even if he has been advised of his rights. We further hold that an accused, such as Edwards, having expressed his desire to deal with the police only through counsel, is not subject to further interrogation by the authorities until counsel has been made available to him, unless the accused himself initiates further communication, exchanges, or conversations with the police.” (Citation omitted.)
In the instant case the record shows the appellant asked to talk to his attorney. He conversed over the telephone with attorney Jennings for five or ten minutes. Upon subsequent inquiry by the police officers he told them he had talked with his attorney. Shortly thereafter attorney Jennings called back and talked to the appellant. After the telephone conversation terminated, the police officers re-entered the interview room and asked what happened. When informed by appellant attorney Jennings was not going to represent him, he was asked by the police officers if he wanted to call another lawyer. His response, according to the State’s testimony, was that he “just didn’t want to talk to any lawyers right now.” Thereafter, Detective Kent came into the room and asked to interview the appellant. The other officers left and the confession followed.
It is clear from the testimony quoted by the majority that having exercised his right to counsel, appellant did not initiate further communication, exchanges, or conversation with the police. After his conversations with attorney Jennings, appellant supposedly said he did not want to talk to any lawyer “right now,” but he did not say that he wanted to talk to the police. It was the police who continued to initiate the conversation about the offense.
This case cannot be squared with Edwards v. Arizona, supra.
I vigorously dissent to the court’s disposition of the grounds of error relating to the admission of the confession.
CLINTON, TEAGUE and MILLER, JJ., join in this opinion.