In Re AM

333 S.W.3d 411
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 11, 2011
Docket11-09-00304-CV
StatusPublished

This text of 333 S.W.3d 411 (In Re AM) 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
In Re AM, 333 S.W.3d 411 (Tex. Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

333 S.W.3d 411 (2011)

In the Matter of A.M., a Juvenile.

No. 11-09-00304-CV.

Court of Appeals of Texas, Eastland.

February 11, 2011.

*414 Matt Mills, Granbury, for Appellant.

Lisa Pence, County Atty., Stephenville, for Appellee.

Panel consists of: WRIGHT, C.J., McCALL, J., and STRANGE, J.

OPINION

TERRY McCALL, Justice.

The trial court found that A.M. engaged in delinquent conduct and committed him to the Texas Youth Commission for an indeterminate period of time not to exceed his twenty-first birthday. In two appellate issues, A.M. contends that the trial court erred by denying his motion to suppress evidence. We affirm.

Background Facts

In 2008, A.M. was charged with aggravated sexual assault of his twelve-year-old sister. At that time, A.M. was fourteen years old. Pursuant to a plea bargain agreement, the 2008 aggravated sexual assault charge was reduced to a charge of indecency with a child by exposure, and A.M. was placed on probation for two years. The conditions of probation required A.M. to participate in sex offender treatment. As part of that treatment, A.M.'s therapist required him to take a monitoring polygraph examination. On August 6, 2009, A.M. took the examination. During the interview part of the examination, A.M. told the polygraph examiner that he had engaged in sexual contact with his sister five times since the beginning of his probation period. On August 17, 2009, the State filed an original adjudication petition alleging that, on or about May 15, 2009, A.M. had committed the offense of aggravated sexual assault of his sister.

A.M. filed a motion to suppress the statements that he had made to the polygraph examiner. Following a hearing, the trial court denied the motion. A.M. then pleaded "true" to the allegations in the State's petition and, in a stipulation of evidence, judicially confessed that he had committed the alleged offense. The trial court entered an adjudication-hearing judgment in which it found that A.M. had committed the offense of aggravated sexual assault of a child and adjudicated A.M. as having engaged in delinquent conduct. The trial court also entered an order committing A.M. to the Texas Youth Commission.

Issues on Appeal

Appellant contends that the trial court erred by denying his motion to suppress for two reasons. In his first issue, he argues that the condition of his probation requiring him to take the polygraph examination placed him in a "classic penalty situation" as described in Minnesota v. Murphy, 465 U.S. 420, 434-35, 104 S.Ct. 1136, 79 L.Ed.2d 409 (1984), and that, therefore, his statements to the polygraph examiner were compelled and inadmissible. In his second issue, he argues that the disclosure of his polygraph examination results to the district attorney's office for the purpose of obtaining a new conviction against him violated his due process rights because he was led to believe that the results would be disclosed only to the probation department and his father.

Standard of Review

We review the ruling on a motion to suppress in a juvenile case using the same *415 abuse of discretion standard that applies to such motions in adult criminal cases. In re R.J.H., 79 S.W.3d 1, 6 (Tex.2002). We review a trial court's ruling on a motion to suppress under a bifurcated standard of review. Hubert v. State, 312 S.W.3d 554, 559 (Tex.Crim.App.2010); Valtierra v. State, 310 S.W.3d 442, 447 (Tex.Crim.App. 2010). First, we afford almost total deference to the trial court's determination of historical facts. Valtierra, 310 S.W.3d at 447. The trial court is the sole trier of fact and judge of the credibility of the witnesses and the weight to be given their testimony. Id.; Garza v. State, 213 S.W.3d 338, 346 (Tex.Crim.App.2007). When, as here, no findings of fact were requested or filed, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the trial court's ruling and assume that the trial court made implicit findings of fact supported by the record. Valtierra, 310 S.W.3d at 447; Ford v. State, 158 S.W.3d 488, 493 (Tex. Crim.App.2005); State v. Ross, 32 S.W.3d 853, 855-56 (Tex.Crim.App.2000). Second, we review de novo the trial court's application of law to facts. Hubert, 312 S.W.3d at 559; Valtierra, 310 S.W.3d at 447.

The Suppression Hearing

The record shows that Bryan Perot was a polygraph examiner with Wood & Associates Polygraph Service in Arlington, Texas. Perot testified that he performed polygraph examinations for sex offender treatment. He said that various types of polygraph examinations were administered, including original offense examinations, sexual history examinations, monitoring examinations, maintenance examinations, and specific issue examinations. Perot described in detail the procedures that were used in administering polygraph examinations, and he said that the same procedures were used for all types of examinations.

Perot testified that A.M.'s therapist, Linda Baley, and his probation officer, Angela Hunt, sent A.M. to take a monitoring polygraph examination. Perot said that the purpose of a monitoring examination was "to make sure there [had] been no re-offense or high-risk behavior that could lead to a re-offense." During a monitoring examination, the person was asked whether he or she had engaged in sexual contact with a child during the relevant time period. A.M.'s monitoring examination was to cover the time period between the date his probation began and the date of the examination. Hunt testified that Baley required the monitoring polygraph examination as part of A.M.'s treatment.

On August 6, 2009, Perot administered a polygraph examination to A.M. Perot testified that, before administering the examination, he told A.M. that the examination was voluntary and that he did not have to take it if he did not want to take it. Perot also explained the examination procedure to A.M. and reviewed the provisions of a release with him before administering the examination. Perot testified that A.M. signed the release before taking the examination. In part, the release provided, "I understand that this examination is voluntary and I have the right to refuse the examination." Perot believed that A.M. was capable of understanding and did understand that taking the examination was voluntary.

The release also provided that, if A.M. chose to take the examination, it would consist of three parts. In the first part, Perot would interview A.M. about the areas and subject matter in question. In the second part, Perot would administer the actual polygraph examination. In the third part, Perot would inform A.M. of his opinion as to A.M.'s truthfulness during the examination. The release also provided that Wood's Polygraph would release *416 the examination results to Linda Baley, Erath County Juvenile Services, and A.M.'s father and "to no one else without [A.M.'s] consent." According to Perot's testimony, he told A.M.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Miranda v. Arizona
384 U.S. 436 (Supreme Court, 1966)
Minnesota v. Murphy
465 U.S. 420 (Supreme Court, 1984)
Ford v. State
158 S.W.3d 488 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2005)
Valtierra v. State
310 S.W.3d 442 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2010)
Hubert v. State
312 S.W.3d 554 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2010)
Swain v. State
181 S.W.3d 359 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2005)
Marcum v. State
983 S.W.2d 762 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1999)
Ex Parte Renfro
999 S.W.2d 557 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1999)
Chapman v. State
115 S.W.3d 1 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2003)
State v. Ross
32 S.W.3d 853 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2000)
Garza v. State
213 S.W.3d 338 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 2007)
Harty v. State
229 S.W.3d 849 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2007)
Creager v. State
952 S.W.2d 852 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1997)
in the Matter of A.M., a Juvenile
333 S.W.3d 411 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2011)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
333 S.W.3d 411, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-am-texapp-2011.