Hargrove v. State

162 S.W.3d 313, 2005 Tex. App. LEXIS 1287, 2005 WL 375305
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 17, 2005
Docket2-03-249-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by69 cases

This text of 162 S.W.3d 313 (Hargrove v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hargrove v. State, 162 S.W.3d 313, 2005 Tex. App. LEXIS 1287, 2005 WL 375305 (Tex. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

OPINION

ANNE GARDNER, Justice.

I.INTRODUCTION

Appellant was indicted for attempted capital murder and two counts of aggravated robbery. Appellant pleaded not guilty and was tried to a jury. The jury found Appellant guilty and assessed punishment at seventy-five years’ confinement. In a single issue, Appellant argues that the trial court erred in overruling his motion to suppress statements he provided to law enforcement. We affirm.

II.FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Because Appellant does not challenge the factual or legal sufficiency of the evidence, a brief recitation of the facts will suffice. The evidence showed that in the early morning hours of June 2, 2001 Meagan Smith Gilbert and her then boyfriend, Michael Gilbert, were at Meagan’s parent’s home in Wichita County. Meagan and Michael were in her bedroom when they heard the dogs barking and the front door open. At first they thought it was Meagan’s father, Clifton, who opened the door. However, Meagan testified that the noises from outside grew louder and she heard footsteps. Meagan left her bedroom to investigate the noise. Meagan testified she and Michael were attacked by two males. The attacker struck Meagan on the top of her head, forehead, chin, finger, and the back of her neck with a machete. Michael testified that one of the attackers said he wanted money, which Michael gave him before being struck in the back of the head, arms, and back, also with a machete.

Appellant became a suspect during the investigation, an arrest warrant was issued for him, and he was brought in for questioning. During the interrogation, Appellant provided an oral and written statement implicating himself in the crime. At trial, Appellant filed a motion to suppress the statements, and a hearing was held. Appellant argued that there was no evidence that he voluntarily waived his rights, that he requested the interview be terminated, and that he provided a written statement after requesting the appointment of an attorney. The trial court overruled the motion to suppress and filed findings of fact and conclusions of law, in which it concluded that Appellant knowingly waived his right to remain silent, that assuming Appellant did invoke his right to counsel he reinitiated contact with law enforcement, and that the taking of Appellant’s statements did not violate his rights under the Fifth, Sixth, or Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution and Article 1, Section 10 of the Texas Constitution. Appellant was tried to a jury, which found him guilty and assessed his punishment at seventy-five years’ confinement.

III.STATEMENTS

Although Appellant refers generally to his statements in . his appellate brief, we will briefly set out the circumstances of each statement that he provided. Appellant made three statements while in custody, which consisted of two oral statements and one written statement. Deputy George Robinson of the Wichita County Sheriffs Office first interviewed Appellant. Appellant’s initial interview was recorded by videotape. Deputy Robinson advised Appellant of his Miranda rights on the videotape, but Appellant did not affirmatively state on video that he was waiving those rights. Appellant also signed a Miranda warning form provided by the Sheriffs Office that states, ‘Tour signature be *317 low indicates only that you understand your rights.” During this initial interrogation, Appellant denied any involvement in the crime, and deputies decided to formally charge him. Deputies took Appellant before a magistrate who again advised Appellant of his Miranda rights, determined that probable cause existed, and set bond. The magistrate asked Appellant if he was indigent and if he wanted to have an attorney appointed to represent him. The magistrate’s form contains a checkmark indicating that Appellant answered yes to this question and further shows that “the forms for requesting a court-appointed attorney were furnished and the procedures for requesting a court-appointed attorney were explained.” As Appellant was being escorted back to the jail following the hearing, he requested to again speak with Deputy Robinson. After reinitiating contact, Deputy Robinson interviewed Appellant a second time on videotape, during which time he admitted to being involved in the offense. After orally confessing, Appellant provided a written confession. The written confession contains a recitation of Appellant’s rights and also contains an explicit waiver of those rights, which was signed by Appellant.

IV. SUPPRESSION HEARING

Prior to trial, Appellant filed a motion to suppress the statements, and a hearing was held. Appellant did not testify at the suppression hearing, but his trial counsel argued that he invoked his right to counsel while in front of the magistrate and thereafter did not make a valid waiver of his rights. He also argued that there was no evidence that he was read his rights again and waived them. The trial judge sought clarification of Appellant’s argument and asked, “On the statement’s admissibility, you’re relying solely on the fact that he signed the — or indicated on the magistrate warnings form that he wanted to have an attorney?” Appellant’s counsel replied, “That’s correct, your Honor.” The only specific argument made in reference to the written statement was that it was done at Deputy Robinson’s request after Appellant had invoked his right to counsel. Appellant’s counsel stated, “I think it’s unquestioned that since he requested an attorney and was not allowed an opportunity to consult with an attorney prior to making a statement that that statement following the reading of his rights and his arraignment should be suppressed.”

Appellant’s counsel also argued that during the first interview, prior to being taken before the magistrate, he requested to terminate the interview. The court replied that it had viewed the videotape and did not find that Appellant’s comment was sufficient to indicate he wished to terminate the interview.

The trial court requested that the parties provide briefs in support of the arguments made at the suppression hearing. Appellant filed a brief, which indicates that the “following argument directly addresses the oral statements at issue.”

After the trial court had filed its findings of fact and conclusions of law, Appellant objected to one particular finding of fact, which dealt with the reading of Appellant’s rights. Appellant challenged the finding that he had waived his rights verbally and in writing. Appellant argued that although there was testimony that he signed a written understanding of his rights, there was no evidence that he signed a written waiver of his rights before he gave his oral statement. Appellant also argued that, although there may have been a waiver before the written statement, it was inadequate. The court overruled this objection. During trial, the videotaped oral statements and written confession *318 were offered and admitted into evidence over Appellant’s renewed objection.

Y. STANDARD OF REVIEW

We review the trial court’s admission of evidence by the abuse of discretion standard. State v. Oliver, 29 S.W.3d 190, 191 (Tex.App.-San Antonio 2000, pet. ref'd).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
162 S.W.3d 313, 2005 Tex. App. LEXIS 1287, 2005 WL 375305, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hargrove-v-state-texapp-2005.