Miller v. State

468 S.W.2d 818, 1971 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1941
Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas·Decided June 16, 1971·No. 43740·Published·Cited by 11 cases

Opinions

OPINION

ODOM, Judge.

This appeal is from a conviction for the offense of murder with malice. The punishment was assessed by the jury at life.

The record reflects that appellant, in company with Eugene DeLeon, an employee of a service station in Pasadena, was working on his car during the evening of November 6, 1965; that the deceased entered the service station around midnight and asked to use the telephone. After completing her call, she walked back to her car and “was laying on the seat” when DeLeon, who testified that he “thought she was drunk,” approached her and “told her to leave,” as he was preparing to close the service station. DeLeon further testified that deceased told him “that she wasn’t well and she couldn’t .drive and she wanted somebody to drive her home.” Appellant then told DeLeon that he would take the woman home, and left the service station driving deceased’s car. The following morning, deceased’s body was found in the back seat of her automobile in a pasture; she had been choked and beaten to death. Approximately seven months later, appellant was apprehended by Dallas authorities and returned to Harris County for trial.

Appellant presents twenty-one grounds of error, all of which pertain to the admissibility of his confessions; timely appointment of counsel; constitutional warnings; and waiver of constitutional rights. In view of the questions presented and the particular circumstances of this case, we deem it necessary to set out in detail the facts surrounding the arrest, and subsequent confessions which directly deal with appellant’s first fifteen grounds of error.

The record reflects that appellant was arrested in Dallas County at his place of employment on June 6, 1966, under authority of a warrant for arrest based upon an indictment out of Harris County charging him with the offense of murder. Immediately thereafter, he was taken before a magistrate; he was not questioned at this time. The magistrate, Judge Friedlander, testified as follows:

“Q. Did you advise him why he was in custody ?
“A. Yes. I told him he was being held for investigation of a murder out of Harris County.
“Q. What else did you advise him, other than what he was charged with?
“A. Well, I told him that he had a right to an attorney; that our detectives would permit him to call an attorney here or that he could call an attorney when he got back to Houston or that he could request the appointment of an attorney when he got to Harris County, if he was unable to get his own attorney. I told him that he was not required to make any statement; that if he did make a statement, that statement could be used against him if the case went to trial.
[820]*820* * * * * *
“THE COURT: Did you advise him if he didn’t have a lawyer, that you would appoint one?
“THE WITNESS: Yes, sir, that is what I answered when the District Attorney first asked me.
“THE COURT: I didn’t understand that.
“THE WITNESS: I told him that he had a right to an attorney; that we would permit him to phone an attorney in Dallas', or if he wanted to wait to come back to Harris County, that he could get one here; or if he was unable to get his own attorney, he could request the appointment of an attorney when he came back to Harris County.
“THE COURT: Well, did you advise him whether you would appoint an attorney then?
“THE WITNESS: I did not advise him that I would appoint an attorney for him. He didn’t request an attorney at the time.
“THE COURT: He didn’t request one. You told him that he could have an attorney when he got back to Houston?
“THE WITNESS: Right. Or I told him that he could use the telephone right there and call one.
“THE COURT: You told him that he could use the phone and call an attorney ?
“THE WITNESS: Right. Or call someone to get an attorney for him. At the end of this, I always ask them if there are any questions. And I don’t recall him making any request or asking any questions about it.
“THE COURT: Did you advise him that he had a right to remain silent?
“THE WITNESS: Right. I told him that if he made any statement, it could be used against him, of any kind.
⅜ # ⅝ ⅜ * ⅜
“THE COURT: You did advise him that if he made a statement, it could be used against him ?
“THE WITNESS: That is right.”

Judge Friedlander, on cross-examination by defense counsel, again testified:

“Q. Tell me exactly how you advised him of his right to counsel?
“A. I told him that he had a right to an attorney; that he could call an attorney at that time; that the detectives would permit him to call an attorney; or that if he wanted to wait until he got back to Harris County, he could call in Harris County; or he request the appointment of a lawyer when he got back to Harris County.” (Emphasis supplied)

The record further reveals that after the aforementioned warnings were given appellant 1 he was placed in jail to await the arrival of Harris County authorities. Two Deputy Sheriffs arrived around midnight the same day, and upon meeting appellant they again warned him of his constitutional rights as evidenced from the record:

“Q. Did you give him a warning?
“A. It was read.
“Q. Who read it?
“A. I did.
“Q. And what warning did you give him, Mr. Cleboski?
“A. It was the warning that we call the warning upon arrest. It was a printed card that had been issued to us. * * * For substance, it was that he didn’t have to say [821]*821anything; he had the right to a lawyer; he could remain silent; if he made a statement it could be used against him and probably would be used against him.”

After appellant was warned of his rights the second time by the two Houston deputies, he left Dallas in company with the officers for Houston approximately “1:00 A.M.” En route to Houston, after stopping to eat at a cafe, the appellant “discussed the case then.” He and the deputies arrived in Houston “around 4:00 A.M.” on June 7th, 1966.

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

Miller v. State, 468 S.W.2d 818, 1971 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1941 (Tex. 1971).

468 S.W.2d 818 (Miller v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Zimmerman v. State
750 S.W.2d 194 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1988)
Alvarado v. State
723 S.W.2d 318 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1987)
Harper v. State
686 S.W.2d 738 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1985)
State v. Blizzard
366 A.2d 1026 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, 1976)
Reed v. State
518 S.W.2d 817 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1975)
Harris v. State
516 S.W.2d 931 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1974)
Sweiberg v. State
511 S.W.2d 50 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1974)
Encina v. State
471 S.W.2d 384 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1971)
Miller v. State
468 S.W.2d 818 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1971)