Commonwealth v. McGrath

495 A.2d 517, 508 Pa. 250, 1985 Pa. LEXIS 357
CourtSupreme Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedJuly 9, 1985
Docket80-3-776
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 495 A.2d 517 (Commonwealth v. McGrath) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. McGrath, 495 A.2d 517, 508 Pa. 250, 1985 Pa. LEXIS 357 (Pa. 1985).

Opinions

OPINION OF THE COURT

PAPADAKOS, Justice.

This is a reargument of Commonwealth v. McGrath, 504 Pa. 103, 470 A.2d 487 (1983). In that case we held that David McGrath’s inculpatory statement to his superior officer, a Marine Corps Captain, was inadmissible at McGrath’s trial for murder, aggravated assault, and criminal conspiracy in Philadelphia, due to the failure of the Captain to give the warnings required by Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966). On May 14, 1984, we granted reargument. For the reasons stated herein we again hold that McGrath’s inculpatory statements should have been suppressed in his trial for murder in Philadelphia.

The facts underlying this appeal are as follows. On July 6, 1979, McGrath and a companion were apprehended by police after an automobile chase through the streets of Philadelphia. They were suspects in two separate shootings which had occurred at 3:47 a.m. and 6:45 a.m. on that day. The shootings involved the random selection and shooting of three black male pedestrians, of which one was killed and two were wounded by bullets fired from one or [254]*254more large caliber handguns. McGrath and a companion were taken into police custody shortly after 7:00 a.m. on the morning of the shootings after having been chased, lost, sighted and chased again by several police vehicles. Both men were released later the same day as there was insufficient evidence at that time to charge them with a crime.

Subsequently, McGrath enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. While he was undergoing basic training at Paris Island, South Carolina, on September 5, 1979, the Philadelphia police contacted Major Beavers of the Marine Corps at Paris Island and informed him that they had a warrant for the arrest of McGrath for homicide and other charges. The Philadelphia police and Major Beavers agreed that the warrant would be transmitted to the Buford County Sheriffs Department which would arrest McGrath and hold him in the county jail until Philadelphia police arrived.

As a result of the discussions between Marine Corps personnel and the Philadelphia Police, McGrath was ordered to report to his Series Commander, Lieutenant Macintyre (a “Series” consists of 245 to 296 recruits.) According to the testimony of McGrath, the person who gave him this order, Drill Instructor Sergeant McLearned, also informed him that he was wanted in Philadelphia for having “killed somebody or shot people,” and that he would have to meet with his Series Commander, his Company Commander, and the legal department, and that he would then go to jail.

McGrath reported to Lieutenant Macintyre whose testimony was introduced at the suppression hearing by stipulation, as follows: that on the basis of correspondence he had received from the Legal Division on the base at Paris Island, he had interviewed Private McGrath and had advised him that he, Lieutenant Macintyre, had been contacted by the Legal Division concerning a fraudulent enlistment and that the specifics were that McGrath was wanted in Philadelphia on the basis of an outstanding warrant charging him with homicide and several other charges.

Immediately following this interview, McGrath was taken to the office of Captain Walter Gaskin, the Company Com[255]*255manding Officer. (A Marine Corps “Company” consists of five “series”; thus Captain Gaskin commanded approximately 1300-1500 recruits.) Captain Gaskin testified that he ordered McGrath to report to his office in response to receipt of a memorandum from the battalion Legal Division concerning McGrath’s “possible fraudulent enlistment.” The memorandum mentioned a police record, but did not mention an outstanding warrant, and, accordingly, at the time he interviewed McGrath, he knew nothing of the warrant or the homicide charges against McGrath, even though Lieutenant Macintyre and other Marine Corps personnel did know of the warrant and the charges. The reason given for this discrepancy was that, being McGrath’s immediate superior officer, Lieutenant Macintyre received more detailed information from the Legal Division.

At the interview, which Captain Gaskins thought concerned a routine fraudulent enlistment matter of which he would have to make a recommendation to the Battalion Commander as to whether McGrath should be retained in the Marine Corps or discharged, the Captain asked McGrath the following:

Q. Private McGrath you’re in here because its been indicated via the Battalion legal office that you’re some type of fraudulent enlistment. It can be of any variety of reasons. Could have past police record or it could be of child support or any number of matters or reasons why there is a fraudulent enlistment. I am here to help you out and of course refer my recommendation to the Battalion Commander concerning retention.
At this time I said you can tell me what it is about that you know of and maybe something you failed to tell the recruiter at the time of enlistment and if you want to, then I can help you based on the information you give me — some advice and what tell the Battalion Commander concerning retention. Notes of Testimony of Suppression Hearing (N.T.S.H.) 533.

The Captain did not give McGrath either the Miranda warnings or warnings under Article 31(b) of the Uniform [256]*256Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. § 831,1 both of which are required by military law.

In response to the Captain’s questions, McGrath implicated himself in the Philadelphia shootings. The Captain and others present at the interview testified at McGrattfs criminal trial concerning his inculpatory statements.

Captain Gaskin further testified that when McGrath first made his inculpatory statement, a Lieutenant Dykhuizen was present. After McGrath told his story, the essence of which was that he was present at the shootings but had not pulled the trigger, the Captain called in the Chief Drill Instructor, Master Sergeant Jones, and McGrath then repeated his story three or four times. The Captain, who found the story “phenomenal,” stated: “I was concerned about what he had said and I asked him to say it again and then I would ask him specific parts about it. [He repeated] the actual whole story maybe twice but different parts of it three or four times.” N.T.S.H. 543.

The Captain also testified that when McGrath entered his office pursuant to his order, McGrath stood at attention and could not speak unless spoken to. Other testimony indicated that at a later stage of the interview, McGrath stood “at ease” while repeating his statement. Although the Captain testified that when he gives an order, he expects to [257]*257be obeyed, he also testified that McGrath should have known that he did not have to answer the Captain’s questions under the Uniform Code of Military Justice: “He can refuse. As a matter of fact, in this time I had no reason to offer him rights but I asked him if he wanted me to help him. He could have voluntarily explained to me what had occurred. If he’d have said he didn’t, I’d have said very well.” N.T.S.H. 547.

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Commonwealth v. McGrath
495 A.2d 517 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1985)

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Bluebook (online)
495 A.2d 517, 508 Pa. 250, 1985 Pa. LEXIS 357, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-mcgrath-pa-1985.