State v. Brown

665 S.W.2d 945, 1984 Mo. App. LEXIS 4440
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 3, 1984
DocketNo. 13158
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 665 S.W.2d 945 (State v. Brown) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Brown, 665 S.W.2d 945, 1984 Mo. App. LEXIS 4440 (Mo. Ct. App. 1984).

Opinion

CROW, Presiding Judge.

Appellant, charged in Count I with the capital murder of Janet Sue Johnson, a 27-year-old female, and in Count II with the capital murder of Janet’s 7-year-old daughter, Sabrina Leigh Johnson, waived trial by jury, Rule 27.01(b),1 and, upon trial by the court, was found guilty of murder in the second degree, § 565.004, RSMo 1978, under Count I, and guilty of capital murder, § 565.001, RSMo 1978, under Count II. The court sentenced appellant to imprisonment for life under Count I, § 565.008.2, RSMo 1978, and to imprisonment for life without eligibility for probation or parole until he had served a minimum of 50 years of his sentence under Count II, § 565.008.1, RSMo 1978. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

Appellant says the court erred in (1) receiving in evidence appellant’s oral and written confessions and “real evidence,” because the investigating officers failed to comply with Miranda v. Arizona,2 (2) receiving in evidence statements made by appellant and “physical evidence” obtained from him, because he was not promptly brought before a judge as required by Rule 22.07(a), and (3) failing to find him not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect excluding responsibility.

In determining the sufficiency of the evidence to support the trial court’s findings on the issue of guilt or innocence, we accept as true all evidence tending to prove appellant’s guilt, together with inferences favorable to the State that can be reasonably drawn therefrom, and we disregard all contrary evidence and inferences. State v. Giffin, 640 S.W.2d 128,130[2] (Mo. 1982). If there is substantial evidence to support the trial court’s findings, its judgment is to be affirmed. Id. at 130[1].

The evidence on the issue of guilt or innocence is intertwined with the evidence pertaining to the admissibility of the items about which appellant complains. Appellant filed a pretrial motion to suppress those items, and the trial court held an evidentiary hearing and made findings of fact. Our review of the trial court’s ruling on the motion to suppress is limited to a determination of whether the evidence is sufficient to sustain its findings. State v. Baskerville, 616 S.W.2d 839, 843[2] (Mo. 1981). In making our determination, we are mindful that the weight of the evidence and credibility of witnesses are questions for the trial court’s resolution. State v. Boggs, 634 S.W.2d 447, 453[4] (Mo. banc 1982).

Viewed in accordance with Griffin, Baskerville and Boggs, the evidence supports the following findings.

On Monday, June 1, 1981, the Malden Police Department received a report of a fire (evidently unrelated to this case) behind an equipment company along the Cotton Belt Railroad tracks. Captain William R. Earnheart went to that location about [949]*9496:35 p.m., and saw appellant sitting on the tracks.

The two approached each other and Earnheart saw appellant “had some blood on him, and cuts.” Earnheart asked what appellant’s problem was, and appellant explained he had “some girl friend trouble” and needed to be alone and think. Earnh-eart asked appellant if he would like to go to the police station for first aid, but appellant declined.

Earnheart radioed the dispatcher, instructing him to notify the Railroad of appellant’s presence on the tracks, and to ask whether the Railroad wanted appellant removed.

Earnheart, suspecting appellant “was attempting suicide, just waiting for a train,” told a nearby officer to keep an eye on appellant. Earnheart’s suspicion was based on appellant’s refusal of medical attention and Earnheart’s impression from appellant’s actions that “something was very wrong.”

Earnheart then departed, going to the restaurant where appellant was employed. There, Earnheart learned appellant had been scheduled for work the night before, but had failed to report. The restaurant manager gave Earnheart the address of the apartment where appellant lived, and Earnheart went there, finding it locked. He “hammered on the door, trying to rouse somebody,” but got no answer.

Meanwhile, the dispatcher had notified the Railroad that appellant was on the tracks, and the Railroad had requested that appellant be removed. The dispatcher advised Earnheart of this by radio. Earnh-eart, believing appellant was outside the Malden city limits, instructed the dispatcher to request a deputy sheriff to remove appellant.

The dispatcher radioed Dunklin County Deputy Sheriff Vernon George Earnheart (Captain Earnheart’s brother), and advised Deputy Earnheart of Captain Earnheart’s request.

Deputy Earnheart, who knew appellant, went to the scene and observed appellant sitting on the tracks. Deputy Earnheart saw appellant was cut on the wrist and cheek. Appellant explained to Deputy Earnheart that he and his girl friend had a fight, and he had tried to kill himself.

Deputy Earnheart asked appellant to go to the city hall for medical attention, and appellant agreed. En route, Deputy Earnheart, observing that appellant was “disturbed,” told appellant that if there was anything he (Earnheart) could do to help, he would be glad to try. Deputy Earnheart also told appellant that if he wanted to talk, he (Earnheart) would be glad to listen. At some point, appellant told Deputy Earnheart he had cut himself with a knife.

A medical technician was summoned to city hall, and the technician dressed appellant’s wounds in a room adjoining the dispatcher’s office. The technician, observing that appellant “seemed to be worried,” asked appellant how he had received the wounds. Appellant explained he had fallen through a plate glass table. The technician replied that the wounds could not have been obtained that way.

Deputy Earnheart then told appellant that he (Earnheart) had to leave. At that point, appellant asked to speak to Earnh-eart alone. The technician departed, advising appellant and Earnheart that appellant’s arm wounds needed stitching by a doctor.

Deputy Earnheart “cleared the room,” and suggested to appellant that they move farther from the dispatcher’s office. Appellant walked across the room, seated himself, began crying, and said, “I killed her.”

Deputy Earnheart said, “Who?”

Appellant said, “Janet,” adding, “I loved her, but I killed her and put her in the closet.”

According to Deputy Earnheart, he “couldn’t believe it.” Earnheart’s first thought was that if appellant had done what he said, perhaps Janet was not dead, but only hurt. Earnheart asked appellant if he (Earnheart) “could go see.”

[950]*950Appellant took the apartment key from his pocket, handing it to Earnheart. Earnheart told the dispatcher and other officers what appellant had said, cautioning them to say nothing to appellant and not to let appellant go anywhere until he (Earnh-eart) returned.

Deputy Earnheart, Captain Earnheart and other officers then went to the apartment, entered, and found Janet dead in a closet and Sabrina dead in the front room.

The Earnhearts returned to city hall and Captain Earnheart arrested appellant at 8:12 p.m. Captain Earnheart advised appellant of his rights as required by

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

Related

State v. Collins
814 S.W.2d 335 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1991)
State v. Jalo
796 S.W.2d 91 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1990)
State v. Webster
754 S.W.2d 12 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1988)
State v. King
747 S.W.2d 264 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1988)
State v. Pippenger
708 S.W.2d 256 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1986)
State v. Riley
704 S.W.2d 691 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1986)
State v. Hood
680 S.W.2d 420 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1984)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
665 S.W.2d 945, 1984 Mo. App. LEXIS 4440, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-brown-moctapp-1984.