Commonwealth v. Tenney

21 Pa. D. & C.4th 160, 1993 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 56
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Crawford County
DecidedMarch 25, 1993
Docketno. 1992-724
StatusPublished

This text of 21 Pa. D. & C.4th 160 (Commonwealth v. Tenney) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Crawford County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Tenney, 21 Pa. D. & C.4th 160, 1993 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 56 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1993).

Opinion

MILLER, P.J.,

Here we decide whether or not the defendant made an intelligent and voluntary waiver of the right to counsel at the time he made an inculpatory statement to the police.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

In this close case the facts are critical, especially as to the events that took place immediately surrounding the moment when the interview resumed. We recite the facts in narrative form. This narrative constitutes our findings of fact as required by Pa.R.Crim.P. 323(i).

Defendant is accused of committing rape, statutory rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, corruption of minors, and indecent assault. All of the alleged crimes arose [161]*161out of the same incident. The victim, J.L.W., was ten years old at the time the crimes occurred. Trooper Peter C. Schaefer, a member of the Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Investigation Unit, began an investigation into the crimes in July of 1992 after he was contacted by Robin Anthony, the mother of the victim. Trooper Schaefer interviewed the victim on July 21, 1992 in the presence of the victim’s mother and a representative of Children & Youth Services. After the interview, the trooper concluded that defendant and one Bernard Messina had sexually abused J.L.W.

Some time between July 21 st and 29th, Trooper Schaefer called defendant to inform him that he was a suspect in the J.L.W. case and asked him to come to the police station to be interviewed about the incident. The trooper also informed defendant that he would be arrested and arraigned after the interview was over. During the phone conversation Trooper Schaefer did not tell defendant that he had the right to have an attorney present during the interview.

Defendant arrived at the police station at noon on July 30, 1992 for the interview. Barbara Straub, a caseworker for Children & Youth Services, who had been investigating the incident, was present for the interview. Trooper Schaefer conferred in private with Barbara Straub and then Straub, Schaefer, and defendant sat down at a conference table at approximately 12:15 p.m. Trooper Schaefer first informed defendant that he would not be arrested that day because the trooper had other business to do and that defendant would be called and told when charges would be filed against him.

[162]*162Trooper Schaefer then read the defendant his Miranda1 rights from the State Police rights warning and waiver form. The form provides as follows:

“You have an absolute right to remain silent and anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You also have the right to talk to an attorney before and have an attorney present with you during questioning. If you cannot afford to hire an attorney, one will be appointed to represent you without charge before any questioning, if you so desire. If you do decide to answer questions, you may stop any time you wish and you cannot be forced to continue.”

Immediately after the defendant was informed of his rights, defendant told the trooper he would like an attorney. Defendant elected to have someone present then. Trooper Schaefer stood up and closed his file; indicated that the interview was over; and then informed the defendant “that since he was not under arrest that we were not going to provide him with an attorney at that time.” The exact conversation that took place next is not clear. The trooper testified that he was not clear on exactly what took place but he believes that the very next thing that happened was that the defendant said he did not want an attorney “now,” that he would get one on his own and that he wanted one at the hearing. The defendant was equally unclear about what took place next. He said that the trooper told him he could have counsel at the hearing and that “things might change at the hearing.” Defendant then said that he did not want an attorney then; he wanted [163]*163to have an attorney provided for him when he went to court and asked Trooper Schaefer about the possibility of obtaining counsel free of charge. Trooper Schaefer stated that he could not make the determination about defendant’s eligibility for free counsel. Schaefer told him he could get an attorney later on.

Defendant then agreed to be interrogated and Trooper Schaefer sat down, again read the rights warning waiver form to defendant, and had defendant sign the form. Trooper Schaefer commenced interrogation of the defendant and defendant confessed to sexually molesting the victim and to attempting to insert his penis in her vagina. Trooper Schaefer asked defendant if he would make a written statement of his confession. Defendant asked Trooper Schaefer to write down his confession. The trooper did write down what defendant had said and defendant acknowledged the content of the statement by signing at the bottom.

A preliminary hearing was held on August 28, 1992 before District Justice Ronald A. Cole, Sr. and defendant was arraigned in our court on September 25, 1992.

Defendant filed his omnibus pretrial motion on January 12, 1993. Defendant contends that his confession should be suppressed because it was obtained in violation of his Miranda right to counsel and that the indictment for certain of the charges should be quashed because of lack of evidence of penetration. Defendant also seeks a discovery order for Children and Youth Service records that pertain to this case. The discovery issue was addressed in our March 2, 1993 order.

We now decide the defendant’s omnibus pretrial motion.

[164]*164DISCUSSION

Motion to Suppress

The suppression motion involves a narrow issue: did Trooper Schaefer’s statement about the Commonwealth not going to provide counsel for the interrogation violate defendant’s right to counsel as provided in Miranda v. Arizona, supra.

In approaching the ultimate issue and decision we look at the circumstances in their totality. We determine if the defendant was in custody and subject to interrogation. If so, was he properly advised of his rights under Miranda ? Did he invoke his right to counsel? If so, the interview should cease unless the defendant initiated and rekindled the conversation and interview and knowingly and intelligently waived his right to counsel.

The Commonwealth admits that defendant was subject to custodial interrogation and defendant does not contend that his Sixth Amendment right to counsel was violated by the Commonwealth.

In Miranda v. Arizona, the United States Supreme Court determined that the prohibitions under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments against compelled self-incrimination requires that custodial interrogation be preceded by advice that the suspect has the right to remain silent and also the right to the presence of an attorney. In addition, law enforcement officials must follow certain procedures to ensure that the suspect’s rights are honored. The interrogation must cease if the accused indicated a desire to remain silent. If the accused requests counsel, the interrogation must cease until an attorney is present. [165]*165An accused can waive the right to counsel and the right to remain silent if the waiver was voluntary and knowing. The burden of proving a voluntary and knowing waiver rests with the prosecution by a preponderance of the evidence. Miranda v. Arizona, 86 S.Ct. at 1630, See also,

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Bluebook (online)
21 Pa. D. & C.4th 160, 1993 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 56, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-tenney-pactcomplcrawfo-1993.