State v. Gibson

623 S.W.2d 93, 1981 Mo. App. LEXIS 3506
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 13, 1981
DocketWD 32158
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 623 S.W.2d 93 (State v. Gibson) 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. Gibson, 623 S.W.2d 93, 1981 Mo. App. LEXIS 3506 (Mo. Ct. App. 1981).

Opinions

[95]*95DIXON, Judge.

Defendant appeals a sodomy conviction and a jury-imposed sentence of five years. The offense was charged and conviction had under § 566.060.1(2).1

The conviction must be reversed and remanded for error in the admission into evidence of the oral confession of the defendant after defendant had requested counsel. Two other issues raised by the defendant will likely recur on retrial: first, the competency of the victim witness; and, second, the defendant’s claim that the trial court should have instructed the jury as to the lesser included offense of sexual misconduct. § 566.090.1(2).

The defendant and the mother of the nine-year-old victim were cohabitating and were the natural parents of a son. The victim was the child of an earlier marriage of the mother. On September 29, 1979, the mother was absent from the home. The nine-year-old victim related at trial an act of fellatio and an act of anal intercourse by the defendant. Sometime the next day the police interviewed the child. This was around 11 a. m. The inquiry immediately focused upon the defendant. He was arrested and taken to the police station by officers of the St. Joseph police department. He was advised of his rights under Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966), at 9:38 p. m. After defendant signed the form acknowledging the warnings and waiving his rights under Miranda, the officers began an interrogation. After several routine questions as to defendant’s age and employment, the inquiry turned to the offense. When asked about the events of the evening before, the defendant, according to one of the officers, said, “I can’t talk about it.” The defendant’s version of the events thereafter differs as to whether he refused to continue with the interrogation. The briefs have covered the issue of the defendant’s right to interrupt the questioning at any time, but that issue need not be reached or decided. What occurred with respect to the defendant’s claim of a right to counsel based upon what the police officers testified to at the hearing on the motion to suppress is disposi-tive of the Miranda claim.

What occurred at the interrogation with respect to the defendant’s request for counsel is best shown by verbatim excerpts from the testimony. Lt. Powell, one of the interrogators, when questioned, gave the following responses:

“Q. Lieutenant Powell, you said he did ask for an attorney?
A. Just the one time.
Q. Did you advise him of his right to an attorney after he asked for an attorney?
A. Yes; he was advised he could have an attorney if he so desired.
Q. That was the start?
A. And we advised him at that time when he asked for one, that he could have an attorney if he so desired.
Q. Who gave him the phone book?
A. I don’t recall; either myself or Richard Brown, Sergeant Brown. Sergeant Brown, I believe.
Q. After he had requested an attorney, did you go through it and advise him again of his right to an attorney?
A. Yes; that he had a right to have an attorney present if he so desired.
Q. He requested his father be allowed to come down?
A. Sir, I don’t recall. I don’t recall that.
Q. Did you continue to ask him questions after he had requested an attorney?
A. Yes.”

Subsequently examined by the trial court, Powell said:

“Q. How many times did he tell you that he would rather not talk about it?
[96]*96A. Just twice; once when I first started with him, then the time that he asked for the attorney. We handed him the phone book and told him he could call anyone he so desired.
Q. Had he nodded his head to any of these questions before he asked for the attorney?
A. I don’t recall, Judge.
Q. Did he deny some of these things? He never did deny anythings [sic]?
A. No, sir, he did not.
Q. What did you talk about between the time you said he asked for an attorney and he said he would rather not talk about it?
A. Then I went ahead and ignored that. I just went ahead and asked him again. I asked him how long he had lived with the girl’s mother and—
Q. He answered these questions?
A. Yes. Then I asked him where he worked, this type of thing.
Q. What were the questions you asked him just before he asked for a lawyer?
A. As I recall, we were getting into the allegations that had been made against him. That’s when he said he thought maybe he should talk to a lawyer.
Q. Did he deny any of those things before he asked for a lawyer?
A. No, sir. He said he thought maybe he had better get a lawyer, something like that. That’s when we handed him the phone book and said call anyone you wish.
Q. Did he at any time say he didn’t want to talk to you, or did he say he just wanted to get a lawyer?
A. I believe he said he thought maybe he ought to talk to a lawyer, or he ought to get a lawyer.” (Emphasis supplied)

Brown, the other interrogating officer, also testified at the suppression hearing as follows:

“Q. Now, what about his asking for an attorney, Sergeant Brown; do you remember him at any time telling you he wanted to speak with an attorney?
A. Yes, I do. He asked if he could — he said, 'I think I need an attorney.’ At that time we gave him a telephone book.
Q. What did he do?
A. He opened the telephone book, and I can’t recall which page it was, a wrecker service or doctor that he looked up. I said, “Those are not attorneys that you are looking at there.’ He said, T think I’ll wait until morning,’ or ‘I’ll wait until in the morning.’
Q. Did he indicate to you that he didn’t want an attorney?
A. He didn’t say specifically that he didn’t want an attorney. He said, ‘I think I’ll wait until in the morning and get hold of my dad.’
Q.

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Bluebook (online)
623 S.W.2d 93, 1981 Mo. App. LEXIS 3506, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-gibson-moctapp-1981.