South Dakota v. Hale

336 F. Supp. 1360, 1971 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11875
CourtDistrict Court, D. South Dakota
DecidedAugust 27, 1971
DocketCiv. No. 71-36W
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 336 F. Supp. 1360 (South Dakota v. Hale) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. South Dakota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
South Dakota v. Hale, 336 F. Supp. 1360, 1971 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11875 (D.S.D. 1971).

Opinion

BOGUE, District Judge.

The facts are that the petitioners, Charles W. Hale, Steven Long and Jack B. Tisdale, are citizens of the United States and are presently restrained of their liberty by reason of a Judgment and Sentence of the Circuit Court in and for the County of Lawrence, South Dakota, rendered on October 14,1968.

The petitioners were tried in said Circuit Court on a charge of burglary in the third degree and petty larceny, said Charles W. Hale and Steven R. Long being represented by Attorney D. 0. Dillavou, Deadwood, South Dakota, and Jack B. Tisdale being represented by Attorney Robert Warder, Rapid City, South Dakota. As a result of said trial, the jury returned a verdict of guilty to charges of Count I, burglary in the third degree, and Count II, petty larceny.

Petitioners were placed on probation for a period of two years under the supervision of the South Dakota Department of Probation and Parole, to abide by all the rules and regulations set out by said department.

The petitioners were to individually seek out the owners of the cabins broken [1362]*1362into and arrange for restitution in money, labor, or both, for any damages done to the cabins.

Each petitioner was individually assessed costs in this matter in the amount of Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.00).

It was further ordered by the court on Count II of petty larceny that each petitioner be fined One Hundred Dollars ($100.00). That each petitioner be imprisoned in the Lawrence County Jail for a period of thirty days, such sentence to be served on weekends or vacation periods so as not to interfere with college attendance.

The evidence presented at the pretrial hearing was that petitioners Long and Tisdale and a friend, were stopped while driving their red 1967 Volkswagen in Spearfish Canyon by two deputy sheriffs who ordered them to proceed to the police station in Spearfish to be questioned by the sheriff. The petitioners were interrogated at that time without benefit of the full and complete Miranda warning. The sheriff testified that he did advise petitioner Long of his right to an attorney and his right to remain silent (TR 7). However, the sheriff omitted that portion of the Miranda warning which states that if defendant could not afford to hire an attorney, one would be appointed to represent the defendant before any questioning began (TR 36). The sheriff admitted that he never advised petitioner Tisdale of his constitutional rights while at Spearfish (TR 30). After petitioner Long confessed, the sheriff ordered petitioners Long and Tisdale to bring everyone else involved and everything taken to the sheriff’s office in Deadwood the next day. Petitioners Long, Hale and Tisdale, arrived at the sheriff’s office the following day, March 14, 1968. There the sheriff interrogated them without advising them of their constitutional rights (TR 43-46). The sheriff told the petitioners that he was going to do everything he could to help them and asked them to fill out and sign a voluntary statement or confession. At no time during any of this interrogation did the sheriff or any of his deputies advise the three petitioners of their constitutional rights or give the warnings required by the Constitution of the United States (TR 43).

The trial record shows that the sheriff gave testimony by reading directly from the written statements of the petitioners (TR 132-140). The States Attorney asked the sheriff to refer to the various petitioners’ written confessions and whether there was any reference in the statements to a particular cabin (TR 132) that was broken into. The sheriff then read directly from the confession which named certain cabins and listed items stolen (TR 138). Thus the States Attorney informed the jury of information on the written statements which were inadmissible as evidence. Such use of the statements is precluded by Miranda. The prosecution may not use statements whether exculpatory or inculpatory, stemming from custodial interrogation of the defendant unless it demonstrates the use of procedural safeguards effective to secure the privilege against self-incrimination. Miranda v. State of Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966). The use of the written statements under the guise of “refreshed recollection” was an attempt to circumvent the necessary procedural safeguards. See United States v. Baratia, 2 Cir., 397 F.2d 215 (1968). The sheriff gave testimony by reading from a written statement or confession which was prejudicial to all petitioners. Even if the court held the confession to be voluntary, the jury still has to decide whether to accept it and what weight to give it. The jury here was not so instructed.

By custodial interrogation the court meant questioning initiated by law enforcement officers after a person has been taken into custody or otherwise deprived of his freedom of action in any significant way. (Emphasis added.) [1363]*1363As for the procedural safeguards to be employed, unless other fully effective means are devised to inform accused persons of their right of silence and to assure a continuous opportunity to exercise it, the following measures are required. Prior to any questioning, the person must be warned that he has a right to remain silent, that any statement he does make may be used as evidence against him, and that he has a right to the presence of an attorney, either retained or appointed. Miranda v. State of Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 1612, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966). See also Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Sites, 427 Pa. 486, 235 A.2d 387, 31 A. L.R.3rd 559, “What Constitutes Custodial'Interrogation Within the Rule of Miranda v. State of Arizona”; Orozco v. Texas, 394 U.S. 324, 89 S.Ct. 1095, 22 L.Ed.2d 311 (1969).

In Smith v. Rhay, 419 F.2d 160 (1969), the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that a warning of constitutional rights which did not include mention of defendant’s right to presence of an attorney and that if he could not afford one, a lawyer would be appointed to represent him prior to any questioning, was not adequate and defendant’s oral confessions obtained after such warning were inadmissible in burglary trial.

Before prosecution may use statements of accused stemming from custodial interrogation, it must show that the accused was warned of his rights to remain silent and to retain counsel, and advised that any statements he did make could be used against him. United States v. Kucinich, 6 Cir., 404 F.2d 262, 266 (1968).

It is the opinion of this court that the petitioners in the described circumstances were deprived of their freedom of action in a significant way. They were interrogated without the benefit of the Miranda warning and it is the constitutional duty of this court to give effect to the rule of Miranda. This court has found no case law where the plain import of this holding has eroded.

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

Related

State of South Dakota v. Steven R. Long
465 F.2d 65 (Eighth Circuit, 1972)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
336 F. Supp. 1360, 1971 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11875, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/south-dakota-v-hale-sdd-1971.