State v. Turner

187 P.3d 835
Court of Appeals of Washington·Decided July 21, 2008·No. 59153-3-I·Published·Cited by 5 cases

Opinion

187 P.3d 835 (2008)

STATE of Washington, Respondent,
v.
Kenith Earl TURNER, Appellant.

No. 59153-3-I.

Court of Appeals of Washington, Division 1.

July 21, 2008.

Eric J. Nielsen, Nielsen Broman & Koch PLLC, Seattle, WA, for Appellant.

James Morrissey Whisman, King County Prosecutor's Office, Seattle, WA, for Respondent.

OPINION PUBLISHED IN PART

SCHINDLER, C.J.

¶ 1 Kenith Earl Turner appeals his convictions for one count of rape of a child in the first degree and two counts of child molestation in the first degree. Turner claims the failure to electronically record the custodial police interrogation violated his right to due process under article I, section 3 of the Washington Constitution. Alternatively, Turner argues that even if the Washington Constitution, article 1, section 3, does not require the police to electronically record custodial interrogations, this court should follow the example of other states and require electronic recording under its supervisory authority. In State v. Spurgeon, 63 Wash. App. 503, 820 P.2d 960 (1991), this court held that the due process clause of the Washington Constitution does not require electronic recording of police interrogations and refused to adopt a rule requiring electronic recording. Because Turner cites no new developments *836 in Washington law, a Gunwdll[1] analysis does not require a different result and Turner fails to distinguish or to persuasively argue that our decision in Spurgeon is flawed, we affirm.

FACTS

¶ 2 In 2005, Nicole West, David Barber, and their three girls, nine-year-old twins K.B. and J.B. and six-year-old A.B., lived in an apartment complex in Enumclaw. Kenith Earl Turner lived across the hall with his wife and son. Turner is in his 70's and suffers from Guillain-Barrs Syndrome. Turner's legs are partially paralyzed and his fingers are bent at a 45 degree angle. Because of chronic pain in his legs, Turner takes pain medications and uses a motorized scooter. Turner would take J.B., K.B., and A.B. for rides on his scooter and gave them cookies, sodas, and gifts.

¶ 3 In October 2005, West moved out of the family's apartment but continued to live in the same apartment complex and saw the girls every day. In early November, K.B. told her mother that Turner had inappropriately touched her. West then separately asked J.B. and A.B. if either of the girls had anything they wanted to tell her about Turner. J.B. and A.B. each told their mother that Turner had inappropriately touched them. After West told Barber about the disclosures, he contacted the police.

¶ 4 A child interview specialist with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, Ashley Wilske, interviewed each of the girls separately. J.B. told Wilske that Turner touched the inside of her private part more than five times and wiggled his fingers. J.B. said that while Turner was touching her, he told her not to tell anyone. Turner then asked J.B. to "touch his," but she refused. Another time, J.B. said that Turner grabbed her hand and placed it on his penis. J.B. also said that on another occasion, Turner pulled out his penis and tried to push her head towards it, but she moved her head away. K.B. told Wilske that Turner touched the outside of her vagina two different times when she was riding on the scooter K.B. said that when Turner touched her vagina, he asked her, "[d]oes it feel good?" She also said that Turner asked her to put her hand down his pants, but she refused to do so. A.B. said Turner touched her one time under her clothes but over her underwear.

¶ 5 After Wilske's interviews with the girls, the police arrested Turner. Turner's wife explained to the police that Turner had health problems and had to take a number of medications. She told the police he had to take one of the medications within the next hour.

¶ 6 Detective Grant McCall and Lieutenant Eric Sortland advised Turner of his Miranda[2] rights at the police station. Turner waived his rights and agreed to talk to the police. At first, Turner denied inappropriately touching the girls but then he admitted touching J.B. and K.B. However, he denied touching A.B. At some point during questioning, Turner's son delivered some pain medication, which the police allowed Turner to take. Detective McCall took notes during the interrogation and then typed a written statement from the notes. Turner then reviewed the statement. When Detective McCall asked Turner if he wanted to make any changes, he indicated that he did not and signed the statement.

¶ 7 In the statement, Turner admits touching K.B. on her vagina and inserting his finger into J.B.'s vagina numerous times but denies inappropriately touching A.B. or any other girls.

Over the last four to six months I have on many occasions touched in a sexual way [J.B.] and [K.B.]. I let both girls ride with me on my red motorized scooter on many occasions.
I touched [K.B.] with my hand and fingers between 6 and 7 times on the outside of her vagina under her panties. I touched her out in the driveway of the apartment complex, at Morning Star Church and one time at the basketball court over by the tall grass. When I touched [K.B.], I knew it was wrong. I *837 told [K.B.] not to tell anyone because I knew it was wrong and illegal.
I touched [J.B.] 8 to 10 times with my finger on her vagina under her panties. My finger went inside of [J.B.'s] vagina 8 to 10 times for a couple of seconds. My finger went inside of her vagina about )4 inch. I told [J.B.] not to tell anyone because I knew it was wrong and illegal.
I put [J.B.'s] hand on my penis one time and she touched me twice on her own. She saw my penis one time and I pushed her head down one time but she never sucked my penis.
Each time I touched the girls my cart was stopped somewhere on the apartment property or at the Morning Star Church or at the basketball court.[3] [J.B.] and [K.B.] were the only two girls I touched at the apartment. I did not touch any other children or girls.

¶ 8 The State charged Turner with one count of rape in the first degree of J.B. and two counts of child molestation in the first degree of K.B. and A.B.

¶ 9 Before trial, the court held a CrR 3.5 hearing to determine the admissibility of Turner's statements to the police. Detective McCall and Lieutenant Sortland testified that Turner was given his Miranda rights and waived them. Turner testified that he had trouble hearing and was not sure that the police read him the Miranda rights. While Turner initially denied signing the Miranda waiver form, he admitted the signature on the form was his. Turner also said that he did not read the statement and he only signed the statement because he was suffering from a sinus infection, he was confused from the pain medication he took, and the police told him he could go home if he signed the statement. Turner also said that when he asked for an attorney, the police gave him a cell phone but refused to help him use the phone. Detective McCall and Lieutenant Sortland testified that they did not make any threats or promises to Turner, that Turner never requested an attorney or medical assistance, and that Turner did not appear to be impaired.

¶ 10 Turner's primary physician, Dr. John Wicker, also testified about the pain medication. Dr. Wicker testified that in September 2005, Turner was taking very low doses of the pain medication to manage his pain. Dr.

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