Mora v. People

481 P.2d 729, 173 Colo. 552, 1971 Colo. LEXIS 1006
CourtSupreme Court of Colorado
DecidedFebruary 22, 1971
Docket23002
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 481 P.2d 729 (Mora v. People) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mora v. People, 481 P.2d 729, 173 Colo. 552, 1971 Colo. LEXIS 1006 (Colo. 1971).

Opinion

Mr. Chief Justice Pringle

delivered the opinion of the Court.

This writ of error is brought by Charles Robert Mora, hereinafter referred to as the defendant, from his con *554 viction and sentence for possession of marijuana. On April 9, 1966, Denver Police Department detectives Mullins and Mulnix saw defendant come out of a pharmacy. Mulnix knew defendant on sight. Mulnix informed Mullins, who was driving, of defendant’s presence. When defendant saw the officers, he changed his direction, thrust his hand into his pocket, and began walking down the street in an easterly direction. Mullins began backing the car down the street so that they could observe him. Mulnix saw defendant remove his hand from his pocket and discard a small box onto the sidewalk. Mulnix got out of the car and examined the contents of the box. On realizing the contents were likely marijuana, defendant was placed under arrest. The following advisement form was then read to the defendant:

“1. You are advised that you are not required to make any statement concerning any alleged offense, but if you make a statement, it may be used against you in Court.
“2. You have a right to talk to or with a-lawyer before making any statement.”

Defendant was then asked if he had an attorney to which he replied in the affirmative. He thereupon named the lawyer who in fact represented him in this action.

Defendant was then given a copy of the form which he read and signed. Defendant then made a statement to the officers to the effect that the marijuana was not his, but rather that he had taken it that morning from his girl friend while she was sleeping. This statement was admitted into evidence over objection.

Three allegations of error are raised, namely: (1) That Mulnix’ testimony that he knew defendant carried the meaning that defendant had a prior criminal record, (2) that the advisement form used on April 9, 1966, failed to comply with the mandate of Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (hereinafter cited as Miranda), in that: (a) defendant was not warned he had the right to have his attorney present *555 during questioning, (b) that if he could not afford' an attorney, one would be appointed for him, and (c) that the state did not meet its heavy burden of demonstrating a knowing and intelligent waiver, and (3) that several jurors saw a copy of defendant’s record through the inadvertence of a district attorney, requiring a mistrial. We find no error, and affirm.

I.

Defendant argues that allowing Mulnix' to testify that he knew defendant prior to the date of the confrontation carried the same prejudicial impact as testimony of prior criminal activity, and was therefore inadmissible, citing Kostal v. People, 144 Colo. 505, 357 P.2d 70, cert. denied, Watson v. Colorado, 365 U.S. 804, 81 S.Ct. 471, 5 L.Ed.2d 462. That case is not applicable here. In Kostal, the People presented evidence of other crimes in an attempt to show similar offenses so as to establish intent or design. This Court held that the offenses proved were wholly dissimilar and therefore had no relevancy in the case. In the instant case, the police officer testified merely that he knew Mora. This was relevant to the issue of whether the police officers were acting properly in their surveillance of him and in their picking up the box which he had discarded. The circumstances surrounding the arrest were completely relevant to the issues in the case. The fact that a police officer knows a person does not necessarily require the presumption that that person has a criminal record.

II.

Before delving into the issues raised concerning defendant’s Miranda rights, it is necessary to examine the chronological setting of this case. The arrest took place on April 9, 1966, as did the reading of the advisement form and the taking of the incriminating statement. Miranda was decided June 13, 1966. On June 20, 1966, in Johnson v. New Jersey, 384 U.S. 719, 86 S.Ct. 1772, 16 L.Ed.2d 882, the Supreme Court ruled that the man *556 date of Miranda would be applied to all defendants whose trials began after June 13, 1966. Cf. Jenkins v. Delaware, 395 U.S. 213, 89 S.Ct. 1677, 23 L.Ed.2d 253. As this trial was held in December of 1966, Miranda is applicable despite the fact that the confrontation took place before the officers could have known what Miranda would say. We are thus faced with a legal problem peculiarly akin to this set of facts. Accordingly, the rules we announce today are so circumscribed. We will now discuss the three points raised by defendant challenging whether the warnings he was given (quoted supra, and seemingly based on Escobedo v. Illinois, 387 U.S. 478, 84 S.Ct. 1758, 12 L.Ed.2d 977) satisfy the requirements of Miranda.

A. Defendant argues that although he was warned he had the “right to talk to or with a lawyer before making a statement” he was not adequately warned that he had the right to have his lawyer present during the questioning. We keep in mind that the stated purpose of Miranda and related decisions was to accomplish a prophylaxis of certain police practices. At least in the instances where Miranda came too late to work this prophylaxis, we are of the opinion that the spirit of Miranda — and not a ritualistic formula — is the adjudicatory force with which we should be concerned. Words which convey the substance of the warning along with the required information are sufficient. United States v. Lamia, 429 F.2d 373; United States v. Vanterpool, 394 F.2d 697, 698-99. Here the defendant was advised he could talk to or with his lawyer before making any statement. We can see no way in which the added advice that he could have his lawyer with him at the time he made a statement could have more meaningfully protected his Fifth Amendment rights.

B. Defendant next argues that he was not told that if he could not afford an attorney, one would be appointed to represent him without cost prior to questioning. Thus, he says, the mandate of Miranda was not *557 adequately met. We disagree. Defendant refers us to footnote #43 from Miranda which reads:

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Related

Hafer v. People
492 P.2d 847 (Supreme Court of Colorado, 1972)
Zamora v. People
487 P.2d 1116 (Supreme Court of Colorado, 1971)
People v. Vigil
489 P.2d 588 (Supreme Court of Colorado, 1971)

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Bluebook (online)
481 P.2d 729, 173 Colo. 552, 1971 Colo. LEXIS 1006, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mora-v-people-colo-1971.