Court Opinion

ID: 9661746
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 22:47:59.684197+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:14:33.152121
License: Public Domain

PAul E. Danielson, Justice, concurring. I concur in the decision reached by the majority in this case; however, I write to clarify the law on the issue of post-invocation contact with an individual in custody. In the instant case, it is undisputed by the parties that Wedgeworth invoked his right to counsel after being advised of his Miranda rights. Therefore, the issue is whether Detective Morrow’s post-invocation contact with Wedgeworth was appropriate or if it constituted further interrogation. A person subject to custodial interrogation must first be informed of his right to remain silent and right to counsel under Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966). If after having been advised of the Miranda rights, a criminal defendant states that he wants an attorney, the interrogation must cease until an attorney is present. Id. at 474. The individual must have an opportunity to confer with the attorney and to have the attorney present during any subsequent questioning. Id. If the individual cannot obtain an attorney and he indicates that he wants one before speaking to police, they must respect his decision to remain silent. Id. This holding in Miranda, supra, is reflected in Rule 4.5 of the Arkansas Rules of Criminal Procedure, which provides: “No law enforcement officer shall question an arrested person if the person has indicated in any manner that he does not wish to be questioned, or that he wishes to consult counsel before submitting to any questioning.” The United States Supreme Court has stated: To ensure that officials scrupulously honor this right, we have established in Edwards v. Arizona, [451 U.S. 477 (1981)], and Oregon v. Bradshaw, [462 U.S. 1039 (1983)], the stringent rule that an accused who has invoked his Fifth Amendment right to assistance of counsel cannot be subject to official custodial interrogation unless and until the accused (1) “initiates” further discussions relating to the investigation, and (2) makes a knowing and intelligent waiver of the right to counsel under the [waiver] standard of Johnson v. Zerbst, 304 U.S. 458, 464 (1938), and its progeny. See Solem v. Stumes, 465 U.S. 638 (1984). James v. Arizona, 469 U.S. 990, 992 (1984). Statements improperly taken after the invocation of the right to remain silent or the right to counsel must be excluded from the State’s case in chief to ensure compliance with Miranda. See Michigan v. Harvey, 494 U.S. 344 (1990). Miranda instructs, “[i]fthe interrogation continues without the presence of an attorney and a statement is taken, a heavy burden rests on the government to demonstrate that the defendant knowingly and intelligently waived his privilege against self-incrimination and his right to retained or appointed counsel.” 384 U.S. at 475. This high bar on the State’s burden of proving waiver of the right to remain silent is best understood as a result of the view that courts are to “indulge every reasonable presumption against waiver of fundamental constitutional rights.” Michigan v. Jackson, 475 U.S. 625, 633 (1986) (quoting Johnson v. Zerbst, 304 U.S. 458, 464 (1938)). In the instant case, Wedgeworth did not initiate further discussion relating to the investigation before Detective Morrow did. While Detective Morrow did ask Wedgeworth if he recalled the name of his attorney, that question did not turn the focus of the conversation back to the investigation. However, Detective Morrow’s question of “What do you want to do?” most certainly did. Merely because the question taken out of context does not appear to be a question used in interrogation, “the term ‘interrogation’ under Miranda refers not only to express questioning, but also to any words or actions on the part of the police (other than those normally attendant to arrest and custody) that the police should know are reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response from the suspect.” Rhode Island v. Innis, 446 U.S. 291, 301 (1980) (footnote omitted) (emphasis added). When Detective Morrow asked Wedgeworth what he wanted to do after he could not provide the name of an attorney, Wedgeworth was left with only two options: to go ahead and speak without an attorney present, or to again invoke his right to counsel and specifically request that an attorney be appointed for him. Here, Detective Morrow even testified that when he asked Wedgeworth that question, he meant “do you want to talk or do you want to go on to jail?” The right to counsel is not contingent upon a criminal defendant being able to tell the police the name of an attorney, and a criminal defendant is certainly not required to invoke the right twice. The right to counsel is invoked if a criminal defendant “indicates in any manner” that he wants an attorney present. Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 473-74. Furthermore, Wedgeworth’s statements in no way equated a waiver of his right to counsel before his recorded statement was taken. In Johnson v. Zerbst, 304 U.S. 458 (1938), the United States Supreme Court discussed the waiver of right to counsel and stated: A waiver is ordinarily an intentional relinquishment or abandonment of a known right or privilege. The determination of whether there has been an intelligent waiver of right to counsel must depend, in each case, upon the particular facts and circumstances surrounding that case, including the background, experience, and conduct of the accused. 304 U.S. at 464. This case is hardly an example where the defendant intentionally relinquished or abandoned his right to counsel. Wedge-worth clearly invoked the right, but was then asked twice to give a name of an attorney. After Wedgeworth could not comply, Detective Morrow implied that it was his responsibility to do so by asking him what he wanted to do. This court looks to see if a confession was the product of free and deliberate choice rather than intimidation, coercion, or deception in order to determine whether a waiver of Miranda rights was voluntary. See Koster v. State, 374 Ark. 74, 286 S.W.3d 152 (2008). Here, as already noted, Detective Morrow implied that in order to invoke his right to counsel, Wedgeworth had to provide the name of an attorney. For all these reasons, Detective Morrow’s post-invocation contact with Wedgeworth violated his right to counsel and, therefore, I concur in the decision to reverse and remand.