People v. Brannan

236 N.W.2d 80, 64 Mich. App. 374, 1975 Mich. App. LEXIS 1275
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 22, 1975
DocketDocket 17920
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 236 N.W.2d 80 (People v. Brannan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Brannan, 236 N.W.2d 80, 64 Mich. App. 374, 1975 Mich. App. LEXIS 1275 (Mich. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinions

M. J. Kelly, J.

Defendant was convicted of second-degree murder in the strangulation slaying of one Peggy Ann Smith. Jury verdict was entered on April 30, 1973, and defendant’s appeal of right followed in due course. The appeal cites four instances of allegedly reversible error. We take up only the last claim of error because it requires [376]*376reversal and the other claimed errors will probably not arise again on retrial.

The body was found on December 1, 1972. Between that date and February 15, 1973, this 17-year old defendant was questioned by the police five times without receiving Miranda, infra, warnings. Three of these sessions took place after the investigation had focused on the defendant. There were two more occasions when the defendant was given Miranda warnings. These sessions took place at the state police post in Bay City, where he had been brought for a polygraph test. On each occasion, that is on the sixth occasion and on the seventh occasion, he confessed.

Prior to trial a Walker1 hearing was held on a defense motion to suppress confessions obtained after the Miranda warnings were given on February 16, 1973. The trial court held the two confessions admissible on the strength of testimony by the detective in charge that in his opinion the investigation had not focused on the defendant until February 16th. The earlier five interviews were then held to be routine police procedure. The. trial court allowed the confessions in evidence that resulted from interrogations six and seven but it also allowed statements obtained in the earlier interviews.

On review of a Walker hearing an appellate court is required to review the entire record and independently determine voluntariness. People v Robinson, 386 Mich 551; 194 NW2d 709 (1972), People v Inman, 54 Mich App 5; 220 NW2d 165 (1974). We reverse here as "we are left with a definite and firm conviction that a mistake was committed”. People v Scott, 44 Mich App 462; 205 [377]*377NW2d 291 (1973), People v McGillen #1, 392 Mich 251; 220 NW2d 677 (1974).

The first interview was conducted at the Midland police station when the defendant came to be interviewed in answer to a telephone call from the officer in charge. At that time exculpatory explanations by defendant included a statement that he had been in Tawas for the preceding ten days working on a truck. On later occasions he gave the names of four alibi witnesses to support his story.

On the second occasion, which occurred on January 31, 1973, the defendant was in custody on an unrelated matter. The detective in charge of the Smith murder was also assigned to a theft case which involved a juvenile and he went to the county jail on January 31, 1973, to interview defendant Brannan with regard to the juvenile theft case. Two conversations took place on January 31st. About the first conversation, after the statement was taken concerning the juvenile, the detective testified as follows:

"Q. Was the Peggy Smith matter mentioned that time?
'A. Yes. Just before I left.
"Q. What did you say?
’A. I asked him if he had any other information about the Peggy Smith matter.”

The detective then went on to say that Brannan was not a firm suspect at that time. However, the perspective changed later that day.

The deceased was found with a portion of a clothesline rope around her neck; the local newspaper had printed that "an autopsy report indicates Mrs. Peggy Smith, 35, was — at 707 West Buttel Street, died of strangulation from a clothesline, Prosecutor Edward G. Durant said today”. On [378]*378the second visit to the defendant of January 31st, the detective went to query defendant about the rope because he had been informed by defendant’s mother that she was missing 50 feet of clothesline rope. Still he did not give Miranda warnings. This is the officer’s testimony:

”Q. What time would be the first time you saw him?
’A. Approximately 8:30, 9 o’clock in the morning.
"Q. And the second time, please, sir?
'A. I think about 2:30 in the afternoon.
”Q. The reason going back the second time?
'A. I had received some information that day.
"Q. Information pertaining to Mr. Brannan?
”A. Yes.
”Q. And pertaining to the Peggy Smith matter?
’A. Yes.
"Q. Information making him a suspect?
’A. Information which I felt checking back with him to see if he could give me any clarification on.
”Q. What did you say to Mr. Brannan when you went in the second time on the 31st, being the third time you talked to him about the Peggy Smith matter, is that correct?
•A. Yes.
”Q. What did you say to him this third time when you went in?
'A. I asked him if he was still willing to take the polygraph.
"Q. And his reply?
’A. He said that he didn’t think he wanted to; that he’d have to check with a lawyer.”

This should have stopped the interrogation forthwith as Miranda requires that if a suspect indicates in any manner and at any stage of the process he wishes to consult with an attorney, there can be no questioning. Miranda v Arizona, 384 US 436, 477; 86 S Ct 1602; 16 L Ed 2d 694; 10 [379]*379ALR3d 974 (1966), People v Ansley, 18 Mich App 659, 667; 171 NW2d 649 (1969). But even after the red flag was thrown by defendant’s reference to a lawyer the detective persisted:

”Q. All right. Did you say anything else to him?
"A. He was advised of the fact that I had found some rope or had thought I had found where the rope had come from.
“Q. Well, tell me what you told him.
"A. I told him — I told him that I had had a report of some missing rope. I didn’t know whether it tied in or not, but I wanted to talk to him about it.
”Q. Missing rope from who?
'A. From his mother.
”Q. And what else did you tell him?
"A. Nothing. He told me where he had been and who he had been with.
"Q. Had you advised him of his rights at this time?
’A. No.
”Q. This is the third time that he was — talked to you regarding the Peggy Smith matter and you still hadn’t advised him of any kind of rights?

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Related

People v. Giuchici
324 N.W.2d 593 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1982)
People v. Plyler
272 N.W.2d 623 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1978)
People v. Parker
269 N.W.2d 635 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1978)
People v. Brannan
236 N.W.2d 80 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1975)

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Bluebook (online)
236 N.W.2d 80, 64 Mich. App. 374, 1975 Mich. App. LEXIS 1275, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-brannan-michctapp-1975.