State of Washington v. Darin R. Barry

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedMay 29, 2025
Docket39375-5
StatusUnpublished

This text of State of Washington v. Darin R. Barry (State of Washington v. Darin R. Barry) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State of Washington v. Darin R. Barry, (Wash. Ct. App. 2025).

Opinion

FILED MAY 29, 2025 In the Office of the Clerk of Court WA State Court of Appeals, Division III

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON DIVISION THREE

STATE OF WASHINGTON, ) No. 39375-5-III ) Respondent, ) ) v. ) UNPUBLISHED OPINION ) DARIN R. BARRY, ) ) Appellant. )

LAWRENCE-BERREY, C.J. — Darin Barry appeals his convictions for fourth degree

assault, unlawful imprisonment, malicious mischief, and two counts of felony harassment

(threat to kill). He argues the trial court erred by (1) admitting statements he made to a

deputy without first finding he knowingly and voluntarily waived his right to remain

silent, and (2) admitting body camera videos in violation of chapter 9.73 RCW. We

disagree with his first argument, conclude he failed to preserve his second argument, and

affirm. No. 39375-5-III State v. Barry

FACTS

Deputy Christopher Olin responded to a domestic disturbance that involved Darin

Barry attacking two acquaintances during which time he threatened to kill each of them

and threw one of their phones into his fireplace.

On the morning of trial, the court held a CrR 3.5 hearing to determine the

admissibility of statements Barry made to Deputy Olin. At the hearing, Deputy Olin

testified that he read Barry his constitutional rights and asked him whether he understood

those rights. The State offered body camera videos, which Deputy Olin testified were

true and accurate depictions of his interactions with Barry. Barry did not object to the

use of these videos in the CrR 3.5 hearing.

One video depicts Deputy Olin telling Barry he is “under arrest for assault, among

other things.” Ex. 160. Barry requests that Deputy Olin tell him “why [Deputy Olin] is

reading [him his] rights.” Id. Although the conversation immediately after the reading of

the rights seemingly confirms the reading, the video did not capture the reading of the

rights.

On cross-examination, Deputy Olin testified he did not initially advise Barry he

was being recorded but did inform him later. Deputy Olin testified he read Barry’s

2 No. 39375-5-III State v. Barry

Miranda1 rights to him from a card, but did not have him sign the card. The card also

does not appear in the record. Deputy Olin admitted that Barry never affirmatively

acknowledged he understood his rights.

In its oral ruling, the court found that Deputy Olin read Barry his constitutional

rights and concluded that Barry had waived those rights by speaking without coercion to

the officer. The court held that Barry’s statements were admissible.

At trial, the State called witnesses to support the charges, including Deputy Olin.

Through the deputy, the State offered the body camera videos, which included Barry’s

custodial statements. When asked if he objected to the admission of one of the videos,

Barry responded he did not. After the State sought to admit a second video, Barry

reversed himself and responded, “Your Honor, may adjust in regards to all of these

exhibits, I’d like to preserve my prior objections. For that reason, I would object to all of

them. I’ll leave it at that.” Rep. of Proc. (RP) at 312. The court overruled the objection

and admitted both videos.

The jury returned a mixed verdict, finding Barry not guilty of some of the most

serious charges, but finding him guilty of others, including felony harassment. The trial

court imposed a standard range sentence, and Barry timely appealed to this court.

1 Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S. Ct. 1602, 16 L. Ed. 2d 694 (1966).

3 No. 39375-5-III State v. Barry

ANALYSIS

CrR 3.5 HEARING

Barry first assigns error to the trial court’s admission of his recorded statements.

He argues the trial court erred by admitting the statements without first finding that he

knowingly and voluntarily waived his rights.2

We review a trial court’s denial of a suppression motion for whether substantial

evidence supports challenged findings of fact. State v. Campbell, 166 Wn. App. 464,

469, 272 P.3d 859 (2011). We review its legal conclusions de novo. Id. Substantial

evidence means evidence sufficient to persuade a fair-minded person of the truth of the

stated premise. State v. Reid, 98 Wn. App. 152, 156, 988 P.2d 1038 (1999). Although

CrR 3.5 requires courts to enter written findings of fact and conclusions of law, if the oral

ruling and hearing record are “‘sufficiently comprehensive and clear that written facts

would be a mere formality,’ the trial court’s failure to enter mandatory written findings

and conclusions is harmless.” State v. Bluehorse, 159 Wn. App. 410, 423, 248 P.3d 537

(2011) (quoting State v. Hickman, 157 Wn. App. 767, 771 n.2, 238 P.3d 1240 (2010)).

2 Barry’s first argument is hard to discern. In his brief, he discusses what occurred during the CrR 3.5 hearing, he then sets forth several principles of law, and he then concludes: “Here, the trial court failed to find after Deputy Olin was unable to testify that he fully advised Mr. Barry of Miranda warnings. Nevertheless, the court found a waiver by Mr. Barry. The court failed to require that the defendant had made knowing and voluntary waiver of his rights contrary to the defendant’s right. As such he should be given a new trial consistent with established case law.” Br. of Appellant at 27.

4 No. 39375-5-III State v. Barry

Under Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S. Ct. 1602, 16 L. Ed. 2d 694 (1966),

a suspect in custody must be warned before questioning that “(1) he has the absolute right

to remain silent, (2) anything that he says can be used against him, (3) he has the right to

have counsel present before and during questioning, and (4) if he cannot afford counsel,

one will be appointed for him.” In re Pers. Restraint of Woods, 154 Wn.2d 400, 434, 114

P.3d 607 (2005). Miranda rights can be waived implicitly. North Carolina v. Butler, 441

U.S. 369, 374, 99 S. Ct. 1755, 60 L. Ed. 2d 286 (1979). However, the State retains the

burden of showing that the accused intelligently and voluntarily waived their Miranda

rights by a preponderance of the evidence. State v. Coles, 28 Wn. App. 563, 567, 625

P.2d 713 (1981). Freely and selectively responding to police questioning after initially

asserting Miranda rights supports a finding of waiver. Id.

Here, the trial court failed to enter written findings and conclusions after the

CrR 3.5 hearing. Nevertheless, the court’s oral findings and conclusions are sufficient for

us to understand the reasons for its ruling. The failure to enter written findings and

conclusions therefore is harmless.

The trial court found that Deputy Olin read Barry his constitutional rights and

concluded that Barry’s statements after being informed of those rights constituted a valid

waiver. It did not expressly find that Barry knew each of the four rights associated with a

valid waiver nor did it expressly find that Barry voluntarily waived those rights. Rather,

5 No. 39375-5-III State v. Barry

it directed the State “to prepare findings of fact and conclusions of law .

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Related

Miranda v. Arizona
384 U.S. 436 (Supreme Court, 1966)
North Carolina v. Butler
441 U.S. 369 (Supreme Court, 1979)
State v. Coles
625 P.2d 713 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1981)
State v. Reid
988 P.2d 1038 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1999)
State v. Scott
757 P.2d 492 (Washington Supreme Court, 1988)
State v. Hickman
238 P.3d 1240 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2010)
In Re Welfare of AB
232 P.3d 1104 (Washington Supreme Court, 2010)
In Re Woods
114 P.3d 607 (Washington Supreme Court, 2005)
State v. Bluehorse
248 P.3d 537 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2011)
State v. O'HARA
217 P.3d 756 (Washington Supreme Court, 2009)
In re the Personal Restraint of Woods
154 Wash. 2d 400 (Washington Supreme Court, 2005)
State v. O'Hara
167 Wash. 2d 91 (Washington Supreme Court, 2009)
Salas v. Department of Social & Health Services
168 Wash. 2d 908 (Washington Supreme Court, 2010)
State v. Hickman
157 Wash. App. 767 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2010)
State v. Bluehorse
159 Wash. App. 410 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2011)
State v. Campbell
272 P.3d 859 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2011)
Dalton M, LLC v. N. Cascade Tr. Servs., Inc.
534 P.3d 339 (Washington Supreme Court, 2023)

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