State v. Quinn

498 A.2d 676, 64 Md. App. 668, 1985 Md. App. LEXIS 541
CourtCourt of Special Appeals of Maryland
DecidedOctober 9, 1985
Docket513, September Term, 1985
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 498 A.2d 676 (State v. Quinn) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Special Appeals of Maryland primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Quinn, 498 A.2d 676, 64 Md. App. 668, 1985 Md. App. LEXIS 541 (Md. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

GILBERT, Chief Judge.

When an accused exercises his or her constitutional right to the assistance of counsel, “interrogation must cease until an attorney is present.” That rule was announced in Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 526, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 1655, 16 L.Ed.2d 694, 753 (1966) and emphasized in Edwards v. *670 Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1981).

Shortly after Edwards was decided, this Court handed down its decision in Bryant v. State, 49 Md.App. 272, 431 A.2d 714, cert. denied, 291 Md. 772 (1981), cert. denied, 456 U.S. 949, 102 S.Ct. 2020, 72 L.Ed.2d 474 (1982). In Bryant, a police officer ceased interrogation after the right to counsel was invoked, but took Bryant into a room where a codefendant was busily writing a statement. That statement, an officer told Bryant, implicated Bryant in the offense. Bryant was told that the officer had called the public defender but that no one was available at the time and that Bryant would have to be placed in a cell until a lawyer could be located.

We condemned the officer’s attempt to evade the tenets of Miranda and Edwards and stressed that we would not tolerate efforts by law enforcement officers to induce a waiver of the right to the presence of counsel. We said:

“[EJfforts by law enforcement officers to induce an ensuing waiver of the right to the presence of counsel cannot and will not be tolerated. Violation of Miranda-Edwards will lead to the suppression of any evidence obtained in contravention thereof, except as may be permitted by Harris v. New York [401 U.S. 222, 91 S.Ct. 643, 28 L.Ed.2d 1 (1971)], supra. We point out that the bounds of both the Fifth Amendment and Article 22 of the Maryland Declaration of Rights are exactly the same as those of the conduct they seek to prevent. Attempts to manipulate the mental process of the accused, arrestee, or suspect in order to ‘psych’ him or her into changing his or her mind about the presence of counsel are just as devastating to individual rights as is the case of the ‘rubber hose.’ The only difference between the two types of coercion is the matter of the degree of the duress.”

The Court of Appeals in Radovsky v. State, 296 Md. 386, 464 A.2d 239 (1983), noted that in both Radovsky and Edwards, “teams of detectives initiated the communication about criminal activity,” notwithstanding the arrestee’s re *671 quest for counsel. The Court said: “The rule set forth in Edwards, that when an arrestee expresses his desire to have counsel present all interrogation must cease ‘unless the accused himself initiates further communication.’ (451 U.S. at 485 [101 S.Ct. at 1885]), is controlling ....” Id. at 399, 464 A.2d at 246.

The rule of Edwards, Radovsky, and Bryant is crystal clear. Once an accused, arrestee or suspect requests counsel, all further interrogation must cease. Before it may be continued, the accused, arrestee or suspect must initiate further communication. This rule, in the words of Oregon v. Bradshaw, 462 U.S. 1039, 103 S.Ct. 2830, 77 L.Ed.2d 405 (1983), is “a prophylactic one, designed to protect an accused in custody from being badgered by police officers.” Id. at 1044, 103 S.Ct. at 2834, 77 L.Ed.2d at 411.

The burden of showing that the accused, arrestee or suspect initiated further communication after having invoked Miranda rests on the prosecution. Id.; Radovsky v. State, 296 Md. at 400, 464 A.2d at 247; Bryant v. State, 49 Md.App. at 278, 431 A.2d at 718. Efforts by law enforcement officers to induce an ensuing waiver of the right to the presence of counsel cannot and will not be permitted. Bryant v. State, 49 Md.App. at 278, 431 A.2d at 718.

We turn now to the instant case where the question before us is did the State trooper induce a waiver of the right to counsel. The record reveals that Stephen R. Quinn was arrested by the Maryland State Police at his place of employment and charged with robbery with a dangerous and deadly weapon. While en route to the police barracks, Quinn was read the Miranda rights. He requested the presence of an attorney. The State troopers did not thereafter ask any question pertaining to the offense. When Quinn arrived at the barracks, he was allowed to call his mother. She attempted to contact a lawyer, but in view of the fact that the time was 6:15 p.m. on a Friday evening, she had difficulty locating one. She testified that she called *672 the barracks about one-half hour after she had received the call from Quinn. She wanted to report that she was having a problem obtaining an attorney. Quinn told her at that time that he had made a statement. It is that statement that is the subject of this appeal.

During the period of time following Quinn’s telephone call to his mother to obtain an attorney, Trooper Sczerbicki “gave” him a copy of the “Statement of Charges.” The trooper said that Quinn “had to sign a paper that he was read the statement and the charges, and then I tore off the copies and gave it [sic] to him.” Attached to the statement of charges was a district court form entitled, “Application for Statement of Charges.” The form read in pertinent part:

“I, the undersigned, apply for a Statement of Charges and a Summons or Warrant which may lead to the arrest of the above named Defendant because on or about 1/17/84 at 450 E. Main St., Westminster, Carroll Co., Md., the above named Defendant did participate in the armed robbery of High’s Store in which $134.00 in cash, $6.00 in food stamps and 1 pack of $.49 bubble gum was taken. Co-defendants Dean Cooper, Dennis Wright and Jeff Porter advised this applicant that the above defendant was involved. The co-defendants advised that the defendant drove the getaway car during the robbery. Dean Cooper had entered the High’s store with a small .22 cal revolver and robbed the store of above property. The co-defendants advised this applicant that the above defendant was the one who pushed the issue to rob the store. The above defendant was involved in splitting the money that was taken during the robbery. The co-defendants advised this applicant that the above defendant wanted to rob the High’s store so he could get gas for his car. The defendant parked his car along side the dirt road next to High’s during the robbery and set in his car waiting for Dean Cooper during the robbery.

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Related

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486 U.S. 1036 (Supreme Court, 1988)
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537 A.2d 1167 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, 1988)
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Bluebook (online)
498 A.2d 676, 64 Md. App. 668, 1985 Md. App. LEXIS 541, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-quinn-mdctspecapp-1985.