Court Opinion

ID: 9678554
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 06:23:04.619259+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:05.646846
License: Public Domain

ON REHEARING

COLEMAN, Justice.
In brief on application for rehearing, the state cites McCants v. State, 282 Ala. 397, 211 So.2d 877, where six justices of this court, including the writer, agreed that a confession had been admitted into evidence against a defendant without error.
In McCants, the warning given to defendant prior to his confessing was substantially the same as the warning given in the instant case and contained the following statement:
“ ‘ * * * We have no way of giving you a lawyer, but one will be appointed for you, if you wish, if and when you go to Court. * * * ’ ” (282 Ala. at page 399, 211 So.2d at page 878)
In the instant case, defendant was indigent and was represented by court-appointed counsel in the trial court and in this court. In McCants, defendant was not indigent. The opinion indicates that on August 20th, defendant’s mother had told Detective Bell that she had contacted the attorney who did represent defendant, both in the trial and on appeal, and had left a fee at the attorney’s office. The confession was made on August 22nd, after the warning had again been read to defendant and after he had signed the waiver when members of his family were present. His sister signed as a witness. Where defendant’s family had already employed counsel to represent him, he could scarcely have been mislead by the statement that a lawyer would be appointed “if and when you go to Court.” The situation is different in the instant case.
Opinion extended.
Application overruled.
All the Justices concur.