State v. Gamble

236 P.3d 541, 44 Kan. App. 2d 357, 2010 Kan. App. LEXIS 92
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedAugust 6, 2010
Docket101,880
StatusPublished

This text of 236 P.3d 541 (State v. Gamble) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Gamble, 236 P.3d 541, 44 Kan. App. 2d 357, 2010 Kan. App. LEXIS 92 (kanctapp 2010).

Opinion

Green, J.:

Donald Gamble appeals from his jury trial convictions of five counts of rape in violation of K.S.A. 21-3502(a)(2) and five counts of aggravated criminal sodomy in violation of K.S.A. 21-3506(a)(1). First, Gamble argues that the trial court erred in admitting his videotaped confession because his statements were ob *359 tained in violation of his rights under the Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the United States Constitution. Nevertheless, because Gamble was in custody for a different offense and because no adversarial proceedings had been initiated against Gamble with regard to the offenses that are the subject of this case, the admission of Gamble’s videotaped confession did not violate his Sixth Amendment right to counsel. Moreover, where the appellate record in this case establishes that Gamble initiated the contact with law enforcement in order to give his confession to the offenses under investigation and that Gamble voluntarily waived his Miranda rights before giving his confession, there was no violation of Gamble’s Fifth Amendment right to counsel.

Finally, Gamble argues that the trial court erred in not granting his request for a prehminary hearing or a bill of particulars. We disagree. In light of the fact that Gamble had voluntarily waived his right to a preliminary hearing on the record 5 months before trial and that his retained counsel chose not to examine tire prosecutor’s file concerning the allegations against Gamble, we find no abuse of discretion in the trial court’s decision to deny Gamble’s request for a prehminary hearing or a bill of particulars, filed 2 days before the scheduled trial. Accordingly, we affirm.

In September 2007, A.F. (date of birth 01/07/1991) reported to the Anderson County Sheriff s Office that Gamble had repeatedly sexually assaulted her. A.F., who had been a friend of Gamble’s daughter for many years, testified that the sexual assault began in 2001 when she was 10 years old and occurred approximately every 2 weeks until she and Gamble’s daughter had an argument and no longer played together.

According to A.F., she and Gamble’s daughter mended their relationship in 2003 and, by December 2003, Gamble had convinced her “to go back to the old ways.” A.F. testified that around December 19 or 20, 2003, Gamble performed oral sex on her and penetrated her vagina with his fingers and his penis. A.F. further testified that Gamble sexually assaulted her again between January 4 and 7, 2004. According to A.F., Gamble continued to assault her every week or every other week when she stayed at his house.

*360 When A.F. reported the sexual assaults to the Anderson County Sheriff s Office in September 2007, she told the interviewing officer that she and Gamble had smoked marijuana together and marijuana had been used in Gamble’s house in the last few days. Based on this information, Detective Vem Valentine applied for and obtained a search warrant for Gamble’s house. Officers found marijuana in Gamble’s house and car and also recovered evidence relating to the sex crimes in Gamble’s bedroom.

Gamble was arrested on a drug charge by Undersheriff Max Skelton and taken to jail on September 11, 2007. The Miranda form filled out by Skelton stated that Gamble requested to have a lawyer. Valentine testified, however, that after Gamble was arrested on the drug charge, Gamble told Skelton that he was unsure whether he needed an attorney, so Skelton wrote that Gamble had invoked his right to an attorney.

That same day, after Gamble had told Skelton that he was unsure whether he needed an attorney, Valentine went to talk with Gamble about A.F.’s sexual assault allegations. Valentine testified that he talked with Gamble for less than 10 minutes and did not want to talk about the drug charge. During their conversation, Gamble asked whether he needed an attorney. Valentine testified that he told Gamble, “If I [were] you, I’d probably have one.” According to Valentine, Gamble stated that he did not know if he wanted an attorney. Valentine then told Gamble that Gamble should consider whether he wanted an attorney and that Valentine could get back with him when he had his first appearance for his drug charge in the next couple of days.

Valentine testified that on September 13,2007, the day of Gamble’s first appearance on the drug charge, he received a phone call at home that Gamble had stated that he wanted to talk with Valentine. When he testified in this case, Valentine could not remember who called him, but he believed it was one of the jailers or a secretary. Valentine went to the courthouse to talk with Gamble. Valentine testified that he told Gamble that he was going to be appointed an attorney in the next few minutes but that Gamble stated, “[T]hat’s all right. I still want to talk to you whether I have an attorney or not. I need to get this taken care of.”

*361 According to Valentine, he then went back to his office and set up recording equipment while Gamble had his first appearance on the drug case. At the hearing, Gamble was appointed an attorney to represent him on the drug case.

After Gamble’s first appearance on the drug case, the jailer brought Gamble to Valentine’s office. Valentine went over Gamble’s Miranda rights, and Gamble waived those rights. During the videotaped interview, Gamble confessed to repeatedly sexually assaulting A.F.

On September 25, 2007, the State charged Gamble with 128 separate counts of rape and aggravated criminal sodomy. In January 2008, Gamble’s appointed attorney requested a determination of Gamble’s competency under K.S.A. 22-3202. The trial court ordered Gamble to submit to an examination and evaluation to determine his competency to stand trial. The conclusion from the psychological evaluation was that Gamble was competent to stand trial in that he appeared to comprehend the charges against him and had the ability to aid his attorney in his own defense.

Gamble later moved to suppress his statements during the September 11,2007, interview with Valentine. Gamble argued that the interview was in violation of his rights because he had previously requested counsel after attempted interviews by law enforcement and an attorney had been appointed to represent him. Gamble further argued that he has a low I.Q. and did not understand the Miranda warnings or the impact of his statements. After holding an evidentiary hearing, the trial court denied Gamble’s motion to suppress.

The trial in this case was held over 3 days in September 2008. On the second day of trial, the State filed an amended complaint, which listed five counts of rape and five counts of aggravated criminal sodomy. The dates when the crimes allegedly occurred were amended to coincide with A.F.’s testimony. The remainder of the charges against Gamble were dismissed.

The jury found Gamble guilty of five counts of rape and five counts of aggravated criminal sodomy.

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Bluebook (online)
236 P.3d 541, 44 Kan. App. 2d 357, 2010 Kan. App. LEXIS 92, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-gamble-kanctapp-2010.