State v. Simon

485 N.W.2d 719, 1992 Minn. App. LEXIS 489, 1992 WL 104588
CourtCourt of Appeals of Minnesota
DecidedMay 19, 1992
DocketNo. C0-90-2705
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 485 N.W.2d 719 (State v. Simon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Simon, 485 N.W.2d 719, 1992 Minn. App. LEXIS 489, 1992 WL 104588 (Mich. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

OPINION

SHORT, Judge.

After a jury trial, Bruce George Simon was convicted of driving while under the influence in violation of Minn.Stat. § 169.-121, subd. 1(a) and subd. 3(b) (1989) and refusal to submit to testing in violation of Minn.Stat. § 169.121, subd. la and subd. 3(c) (1989). Simon was sentenced on the first gross misdemeanor to one year in county jail and payment of a fine of $3,000 plus fees, and consecutively sentenced to one year in county jail on the second gross misdemeanor offense. The sentence was stayed for two years provided Simon spend 30 days in jail, complete a chemical dependency treatment course, and pay $750 plus fees. On appeal from the judgment of conviction and sentence, Simon argues the trial court erred in (1) ruling the evidence of refusal was admissible, (2) admitting the taped conversations between him and the arresting officer, (3) sentencing him to consecutive terms, and (4) concluding the evidence was sufficient to sustain the convictions. We disagree and affirm.

FACTS

A state trooper discovered Simon trying to drive his car out of a ditch along a highway in Aitkin County. The trooper observed car tracks in the snow on the opposite shoulder of the road and skid marks into the ditch. The trooper noted the road was dry. The trooper testified Simon had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage about him and had a difficult time walking back to the squad car.

The officer placed Simon under arrest for driving while under the influence of alcohol and read him the Implied Consent Advisory. Simon was given a choice of a blood test or a urine test, but he refused to submit to either form of testing:

At trial, the state attempted to introduce an audio tape of (a) the advisory being read to Simon, (b) a lengthy conversation between the officer and Simon, and (c) Simon’s refusal. Before the advisory was read, Simon asked to talk with his lawyer and asked the officer which test he recommended. The officer explained the choices available and the effect of each decision on Simon’s driving privileges. Simon moved to suppress the evidence. The trial court [722]*722found some statements were obtained in violation of Simon’s right to have counsel present during questioning. However, the statements made during the Implied Consent Advisory were ruled admissible. Statements made after the advisory were suppressed. Simon also moved to dismiss the refusal charge. The trial court denied that motion.

ISSUES

I. Did the trial court err in ruling the evidence of refusal admissible?

II. Did the trial court err in admitting the taped Implied Consent Advisory?

III. Are driving under the influence and refusal of testing part of a single behavioral incident?

IV. Is the evidence sufficient to sustain the convictions?

ANALYSIS

I.

Simon argues the evidence of refusal should not have been admitted because he was denied his right to counsel. We disagree. Simon failed to assert in the trial court that the request for a test was a critical stage under Minn. Const, art. I, § 6. See Friedman v. Commissioner of Pub. Safety, 473 N.W.2d 828, 837 (Minn.1991) (holding the decision whether to submit to chemical testing was a critical stage and thus, the right to counsel did attach under art. I, § 6 of the Minnesota Constitution). Because Simon did not argue under Art. I, § 6 of the Minnesota Constitution, his challenge does not satisfy the requirements under Friedman for retroactive treatment. See Id. at 838. Based on controlling law prior to Friedman, the decision whether to submit to testing is not a critical stage and no right to counsel attaches. See Nyflot v. Commissioner of Pub. Safety, 369 N.W.2d 512, 516-17 (Minn.1985).

Simon also argues the evidence of refusal should not have been admitted because the 1989 Implied Consent Advisory was misleading. However, Simon had a previous conviction for driving while under the influence of alcohol. In giving the advisory, the trooper warned Simon of possible criminal charges the state was authorized to impose. See McDonnell v. Commissioner of Pub. Safety, 473 N.W.2d 848, 855 (Minn.1991) (threatening criminal charges the state is not authorized to impose violates due process). Minn.Stat. § 169.123, subd. 2(b)(2) is not unconstitutional as applied to Simon.

Simon argues further the language in the former advisory warning he “may” be subject to criminal penalties for refusing but would be subject to such penalties for taking and failing the test was misleading and violated due process. However, that argument has been rejected by this court. See McDonnell v. Commissioner of Pub. Safety, 460 N.W.2d 363, 371-72 (Minn.App.1990), rev’d. in part on other grounds, 473 N.W.2d at 855 (Minn.1991). The supreme court’s holdings on other issues in McDonnell and Friedman do not affect this holding.

II.

Simon argues the recorded statements of his responses to the Implied Consent Advisory should have been suppressed because his statements were neither voluntary nor properly preceded by a Miranda warning. We disagree. It is well settled that a state does not violate the fifth amendment when it introduces an individual’s refusal to consent to a blood alcohol test as evidence that the individual was driving while intoxicated. South Dakota v. Neville, 459 U.S. 553, 566, 103 S.Ct. 916, 924, 74 L.Ed.2d 748 (1983). See McDonnell, 473 N.W.2d 848, 855-56 (agreeing with Neville holding that a refusal to submit to testing in the context of an Implied Consent Advisory does not constitute a compelled self-incriminating statement). In the context of an Implied Consent Advisory, the request to undergo testing does not constitute interrogation and a Miranda warning is not required. Id. at 855. Under these circumstances, the trial court properly admitted the recorded statements of Simon’s responses to the Implied Consent Advisory.

[723]*723III.

Minn.Stat. § 609.035 (1990) provides in part:

... if a person’s conduct constitutes more than one offense under the laws of this state, the person may be punished for only one of the offenses and a conviction or acquittal of any of them is a bar to prosecution for any other of them.

A test to determine whether each violation charged resulted from a single behavioral incident was set forth in State v. Johnson, 273 Minn. 394, 404, 141 N.W.2d 517, 525 (1966).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
485 N.W.2d 719, 1992 Minn. App. LEXIS 489, 1992 WL 104588, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-simon-minnctapp-1992.