State v. Heisdorffer

164 N.W.2d 173, 1969 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 742
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedJanuary 14, 1969
Docket53100
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 164 N.W.2d 173 (State v. Heisdorffer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Heisdorffer, 164 N.W.2d 173, 1969 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 742 (iowa 1969).

Opinion

STUART, Justice.

Defendant was indicted, tried and convicted of’crime of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, fourth offense, in violation of section 321.281, Code of Iowa. Defendant was committed to the state hospital at Mount Pleasant for treatment and upon discharge to be returned for further sentencing.

On November 22, 1967, defendant’s car was observed by Iowa Highway Patrolman Lockwood about 11:00 p.m. in Ottumwa, Iowa being operated in an erratic manner. He stopped defendant as he was backing his car away from a highway guard post after striking it. Defendant failed to produce a driver’s license when asked. Patrolman Lockwood, confronted with alcoholic *175 breath, asked defendant to get out of the car and attempt road side sobriety tests which he was unable to complete successfully. He placed defendant under arrest and apprised him of his constitutional rights under Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694, 10 A.L.R.3d 974. Patrolman Lockwood confiscated an unopened six-pack of beer and part of a pint of whiskey in a sack found in the front seat of defendant’s car. Defendant appeared dirty and unshaven. His eyes were watery, bloodshot, and the pupils were dilated.

Heisdorffer was taken to the Ottumwa police station where he again received the Miranda warnings, following which, he requested attorney Elmer Bekman be called. Officer Lucas called Bekman and was told by Bekman to proceed with the tests and he would see defendant in the morning. When told of his response, defendant demanded again to talk with Bekman whereupon, patrolman Lockwood placed a second call to Bekman and was also told Bekman would not come to the police station until morning. Defendant asked another lawyer be called for him. No other attorneys were called for Heisdorffer and defendant was taken to the basement of the police station for tests and interx-ogation.

Officer Lucas, who was at the police station, testified defendant did not speak lucidly and clearly and did volunteer the statement that he was “awful” or “kinda” drunk. Patrolman Lockwood testified defendant stated: “I am pretty damn drunk, you know it.” This was not said in response to a question.

Defendant attempted and failed more sobriety tests. Patrolman Lockwood asked defendant if he would submit to chemical sobriety tests and defendant refused.

As none of the questions on appeal involve defendant’s evidence, we need not set it out here. There was a conflict in the evidence on most points. The jury found defendant guilty. On appeal from judgment rendered on the guilty verdict, defendant assigns 16 errors, which we will attempt to consolidate.

I. Defendant asserts the trial court erred in refusing to strike the testimony of the highway patrolman concerning the sobriety tests defendant attempted at the scene before the arrest and before the warnings specified in Miranda v. Arizona, supra, were given.

We hold the trial court did not err for two reasons. First, the situation was not one which called for the Miranda warnings. “General on-the-scene questioning as to facts surrounding a crime or other general questioning of citizens in the fact-finding process is not affected by our holding.” Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 477-478, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 1629. We do not believe Miranda should be interpreted to prevent an investigation to determine whether defendant had committed a crime subjecting him to arrest. The erratic path of the car and the smell of alcohol on defendant’s breath furnished good cause to suspect defendant might be guilty of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. The tests were reasonably necessary to enable the patrolman to decide whether defendant should be arrested. The situation did not present an incommunicado interrogation of a person in a police dominated atmosphere condemned by Miranda.

Second, the performance of such tests does not amount to “evidence by communication in whatever form that communication might take”. State v. Sefcheck, Iowa, 157 N.W.2d 128, 135. The observation of defendant during the tests makes his actions real or physical evidence against himself, rather than testimonial evidence. Such tests are more nearly akin to the taking of blood samples, fingerprints or handwriting exemplars. Requiring defendant to furnish such evidence does not violate his privilege against self incrimination. State v. Sefcheck, supra; State v. Johnson, Iowa, 155 N.W.2d 512, 517; United States v. Wade, 388 U.S. 218, 87 S.Ct. 1926, 18 L.Ed.2d 1149; Gilbert v. California, 388 U.S. 263, 87 S.Ct. *176 1951, 18 L.Ed.2d 1178; Schmerber v. California, 384 U.S. 757, 86 S.Ct. 1826, 16 L.Ed.2d 908.

II. The two officers testified as to their observations of defendant when he attempted to perform certain sobriety tests at the police station after he had received the Miranda warnings and requested an attorney. Miranda makes it clear: “If the individual states that he wants an attorney, the interrogation must cease until an attorney is present.” 384 U.S. at 474, 86 S.Ct. at 1628.

However, the second reason discussed under division I applies to this evidence. The observations of the defendant’s movements constitute real evidence rather than communicative evidence and did not call for the application of the Miranda warnings. The observations are not rendered inadmissible because the requested attorney was not present.

III. Without proper objection, the two officers testified defendant admitted he was “awful drunk,” “kinda drunk” or “pretty damn drunk”. The highway patrolman testified without objection that defendant refused to take either a blood or urine test when requested. During the cross examination of the second witness and in the absence of the jury it was brought out that these events occurred after defendant had asked for and had not been given the opportunity to consult with attorney. Defendant moved to strike this evidence. The trial court instructed the jury: “Therefore, you are instructed that the portion of the testimony of Officers Lockwood and Lucas given thus far as to questions orally asked defendant any oral statements of defendant at the police station after defendant asked to speak to an attorney are stricken from the record of evidence, and you are to disregard the same, except the evidence in regard to the request of Officer Lockwood of the defendant for a blood or urine chemical test, and defendant’s statement responding to that request. The evidence relative to the request for a chemical test remains a part of the record for your consideration.”

Defendant contends he was entitled to a mistrial because the admission, even though stricken, deprived him of a fair trial. The only objection made to the testimony in question was that it called for the opinion and conclusion of the witness. No objection was made on constitutional grounds nor were any pretrial hearings held.

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Bluebook (online)
164 N.W.2d 173, 1969 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 742, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-heisdorffer-iowa-1969.