In Re MRR

2 S.W.3d 319
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 15, 1999
Docket04-97-00630-CV
StatusPublished

This text of 2 S.W.3d 319 (In Re MRR) 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 MRR, 2 S.W.3d 319 (Tex. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

2 S.W.3d 319 (1999)

In the Matter of M.R.R., Jr., A Juvenile.

No. 04-97-00630-CV.

Court of Appeals of Texas, San Antonio.

May 5, 1999.
Rehearing Overruled June 15, 1999.

*321 Steven E. Fry, Law Offices of Steven E. Fry, Edward A. Bartolomei, Law Offices of Edward A. Bartolomei, John J. Fahle, Law Offices of John J. Fahle, San Antonio, for appellant.

*322 Mary Beth Welsh, Asst. Criminal Dist. Atty., San Antonio, for appellee.

Sitting: PHIL HARDBERGER, Chief Justice, CATHERINE STONE, Justice, SARAH B. DUNCAN, Justice.

OPINION

Opinion by: CATHERINE STONE, Justice.

A jury found Michael Rodriguez Rubio, Jr. (hereinafter "M.R.R.") guilty of delinquent conduct for committing the offense of capital murder and assessed a determinate sentence of forty years imprisonment.[1] After a transfer hearing, M.R.R. was transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice—Institutional Division. On appeal, M.R.R. raises seven points of error in which he complains about evidentiary rulings, charge error, the trial court's admonition not to "stare down" witnesses, and an incomplete record.[2] We overrule these complaints and affirm the trial court's judgment.

Facts

On January 30, 1994, M.R.R., a member of a local gang, learned that Manuel Romero, a member of a rival gang, was planning a drive-by shooting on his house. Armed with that information and a semi-automatic rifle, M.R.R. and fellow gang member, L.A.,[3] drove by the Romero residence, and fired five shots at the back of the house and two shots at the front of the house. M.R.R. was the shooter; L.A. was the driver. Raymundo Diaz, Romero's four-year old nephew, was fatally wounded by the second round of gunfire.

A few days later, M.R.R. confessed to a teacher and a teacher's aide that he was involved a drive-by shooting. The San Antonio police were called to M.R.R.'s school to investigate. Upon the invitation *323 of the investigating officers, M.R.R., along his mother, went to the police station to discuss the shooting. At the police station, M.R.R. confessed to be being the shooter.

Admission of Written Statement

In points of error three, four, and six, M.R.R. challenges the admissibility of his written statement. Under point of error three, M.R.R. asserts that the trial court erred in finding that his written statement had been freely and voluntarily given in the absence of Miranda warnings. In his fourth point of error, M.R.R. complains that his statement does not comply with section 51.09 of the Family Code. Finally, in his sixth point of error, M.R.R. argues that his statement was obtained in violation of sections 52.02 and 52.025 of the Family Code, requiring juveniles to be detained and processed in specifically designated facilities.

In response, the State argues that M.R.R. was not in custody at the time he gave his statement and that his statement was freely and voluntarily given. Because M.R.R.'s voluntary statement did not stem from custodial interrogation, the State thus contends that neither the lack of Miranda warnings nor non-compliance with sections 51.09 and 52.02 of the Family Code rendered M.R.R.'s statement inadmissible. The record supports the State's position.

Custodial interrogation is questioning initiated by law enforcement after a person has been taken into custody or otherwise deprived of his freedom in any significant way. Cannon v. State, 691 S.W.2d 664, 671 (Tex.Crim.App.1985), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 1110, 106 S.Ct. 897, 88 L.Ed.2d 931 (1986). In determining whether an individual is in custody, a two-step analysis is employed. First, a court examines all the circumstances surrounding the interrogation to determine whether there was a formal arrest or restraint of freedom of movement to the degree associated with a formal arrest. Stansbury v. California, 511 U.S. 318, 322, 114 S.Ct. 1526, 128 L.Ed.2d 293 (1994). This initial determination focuses on the objective circumstances of the interrogation, not on the subjective views harbored by either the interrogating officers or the individual being questioned. Id. at 323, 114 S.Ct. 1526. Second, a court considers in light of the given circumstances whether a reasonable person would have felt he or she was at liberty to terminate the interrogation and leave. Thompson v. Keohane, 516 U.S. 99, 112, 116 S.Ct. 457, 133 L.Ed.2d 383 (1995). Traditionally, courts considered four factors in making this determination: (1) whether probable cause to arrest existed at the time of questioning; (2) subjective intent of the police; (3) focus of the investigation; and (4) subjective belief of the defendant. Dowthitt v. State, 931 S.W.2d 244, 254 (Tex.Crim.App.1996). Under Stansbury, however, the subjective intent of both the police and the defendant are irrelevant except to the extent that they may be manifested in the words or actions of the investigating officials. Id. The custody determination is based entirely upon objective circumstances. Id. Stationhouse questioning does not, in and of itself, constitute custody. Id. at 255.

In the instant case, the police were called to Brentwood Middle School after M.R.R. confided to his teacher that he had participated in a drive-by shooting. School authorities notified the Edgewood Independent School District's police department and M.R.R.'s mother. M.R.R. was in the principal's office with his mother and Principal Marquez when Edgewood Officer Regina Reed arrived. Officer Reed and Edgewood Officer Pilar Mireles talked with Principal Marquez about M.R.R.'s confession and then contacted the San Antonio police department. Officers Reed and Mireles remained outside the principal's office until the San Antonio police arrived. Officer Reed testified that M.R.R. was not placed under arrest. Neither Officer Reed nor Officer Mireles questioned M.R.R. about his statement. Officer Reed testified that M.R.R. was free *324 to leave the principal's office to attend classes. But he was not free, consistent with school policy, to leave the campus during school hours. The door of the administration office is locked only from the outside.

Once at the school, Detectives Roland Casias and Larry Ripley first spoke to M.R.R.'s mother. They explained to her that they were investigating M.R.R.'s involvement in a drive-by shooting. She was informed that M.R.R. was not under arrest at that time, that she and M.R.R. were free to leave, and that they did not have to talk with any officers. The officers then asked whether she would go to the police station to discuss the shooting; she agreed to do so. Detective Casias then spoke with M.R.R., conveying the same information to him. M.R.R. also agreed to accompany the officers to the police station. During the ride, M.R.R. was not handcuffed or otherwise restrained. Detective Casias testified that the case was not discussed in the car.

Once at the police station, M.R.R. was taken into the office of Detective Moffitt, the supervising officer of the investigation. Detective Moffitt arrived within twenty minutes of M.R.R.'s arrival. Detective Moffitt reminded M.R.R.

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2 S.W.3d 319, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-mrr-texapp-1999.