State v. Hudson

404 So. 2d 460
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedJune 22, 1981
Docket80-KA-2236
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 404 So. 2d 460 (State v. Hudson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Hudson, 404 So. 2d 460 (La. 1981).

Opinion

404 So.2d 460 (1981)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Jerome HUDSON.

No. 80-KA-2236.

Supreme Court of Louisiana.

June 22, 1981.
Rehearing Denied October 9, 1981.

*461 William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Barbara Rutledge, Asst. Atty. Gen., Henry N. Brown, Jr., Dist. Atty., James M. Johnson, Asst. Dist. Atty., for plaintiff-appellee.

Ronald V. McKneely, Jr., Bossier City, for defendant-appellant.

LEMMON, Justice.[*]

In this appeal from a conviction of second degree murder defendant's principal contention is that his confession to police two days after the murder, at which time he was 16 years old, resulted from an interrogation conducted without a prior consultation with an attorney or an informed adult, in violation of the requirements of State in the Interest of Dino, 359 So.2d 586 (La. 1978).

Facts

On October 18, 1979 defendant, a high school senior, called upon Mr. and Mrs. Garfield Lewis and informed them that they had been selected by a school club in Springhill to receive free groceries and gasoline as part of the club's project to assist older persons in the community. The next *462 morning defendant went to the Lewises' home and left with Mr. Lewis in his car to pick up the prizes.

Around noon defendant returned on foot and asked Mrs. Lewis if her husband had returned, stating that they had parted company in town. Mrs. Lewis then proceeded to town, but when she could not find her husband, she reported his disappearance to the police. She also informed the police of the alleged school project and the fact that her husband was last seen driving off in defendant's company.

As part of the investigation of Mr. Lewis' disappearance Patrolman Coleman picked up defendant at school and transported him to the station for questioning. Defendant agreed to assist the police in their search efforts, accompanying Chief Stephens to a photography studio where defendant claimed Mr. Lewis had stopped to have some film developed. However, when the studio owner stated he did not recall seeing Mr. Lewis there that day, defendant remembered that the studio had been too busy to develop the film and that he and Mr. Lewis had decided to take the film to defendant's uncle in Taylor, Arkansas to be processed.

Chief Stephens and Sergeant Parker then proceeded with defendant to Taylor, Arkansas, where defendant directed them to the residence of an elderly lady. In response to questioning, she stated that no man had been at her residence that day to make pictures or do anything else.

Chief Stephens returned with defendant to the police station, where he dispatched Patrolman Coleman to the Lewis residence to determine if Mr. Lewis had returned or if Mrs. Lewis had any further information. Mrs. Lewis informed Coleman she remembered that when defendant returned to their home, he was wearing a different pair of pants than the one he was wearing earlier that morning when he and Mr. Lewis left together.

In the meantime defendant's parents had been contacted and had arrived at the police station. Defendant's parents took Chief Stephens, Sergeant Parker and Patrolman Coleman to their home, where defendant's father agreed to let the officers look for defendant's pants. Defendant's father checked a pile of dirty clothes lying on the floor of the bedroom defendant shared with his brothers, and when Chief Stephens noticed a red stain on one pair of pants, defendant's father handed the pants to Chief Stephens. A broken butcher knife found in one of the pockets was identified by defendant's mother as belonging to her.

The group then returned to the police station, where Patrolman Coleman, in the presence of defendant's parents, advised defendant of his rights under Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966). Stating that he understood his rights, defendant signed a card waiving those rights.

When officers questioned defendant about Mr. Lewis' disappearance, his parents insisted that he cooperate with the police and tell the truth. Defendant then stated that Mr. Lewis had been involved in a fight with a person named David Thomas, and he agreed to take them to the scene of the fight. Though he did not take them directly to the scene at first, defendant eventually led them to the place where Mr. Lewis' body was found. Determining that the victim had been stabbed and bludgeoned to death, the police took photographs and seized numerous articles.[1]

*463 When the group returned to the police station, Investigator Bloxom advised defendant, in the presence of his parents, as to the seriousness of the offense of murder and again repeated the Miranda warnings. Defendant was also advised that he could halt the questioning at any time and that any statement should be of his own free will. After defendant indicated he understood the officer's explanation, he stated that he still wished to talk about Mr. Lewis' death. Defendant then placed the blame for Lewis' death on David Thomas, who defendant said had flagged them down while they were driving on the highway to Arkansas.[2]

After additional investigation Investigator Bloxom returned on October 21 to question defendant further. Bloxom again advised defendant of his rights in the presence of defendant's parents, and again defendant stated he wanted to talk. At this interrogation defendant, although changing some details of the story, again placed the blame for the murder on David Thomas. Doubting defendant's truthfulness, Bloxom told him that he did not believe he was being completely honest and asked him if he would like some time alone to talk with his parents. Defendant replied affirmatively, and when Bloxom left the room, defendant's parents urged him to tell the truth. When Bloxom returned approximately ten minutes later, defendant admitted killing Mr. Lewis, but insisted he did so only in the face of threats by David Thomas to himself and his family.

Suppression of Confession

In the Dino decision, above, this court departed from the long-standing "totality of circumstances" rule in the determination of a juvenile's knowing and voluntary waiver of the right against self-incrimination and rejected a juvenile's confession on the basis that the prosecution had not affirmatively shown the juvenile, prior to confessing, had a meaningful consultation with an attorney or an informed parent, guardian or other adult interested in his welfare.

In the present case defense counsel argues that although the juvenile was allowed to consult with his parents before admitting the killing, the consultation was not with an informed adult, as required by Dino. On the other hand, the prosecution contends that the Dino standards were met in this case or, alternatively, that the court should readopt the "totality of circumstances" rule for reviewing a juvenile's confession.[3]

Although the Dino standards constitute a fine policy for law enforcement officials to follow in order to insure a knowing and voluntary waiver of rights by a juvenile, some members of this court believe that these standards are not constitutionally required.[4] Indeed, the Supreme Court of the United States in Fare v. Michael C., cited in footnote 3, held that the "totality of circumstances" test meets federal constitutional requirements.

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Bluebook (online)
404 So. 2d 460, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-hudson-la-1981.