United States v. McKee

846 F. Supp. 930, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2807, 1994 WL 76605
CourtDistrict Court, D. Kansas
DecidedFebruary 17, 1994
DocketNos. 93-40037-01-SAC, 93-40037-02-SAC
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 846 F. Supp. 930 (United States v. McKee) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. McKee, 846 F. Supp. 930, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2807, 1994 WL 76605 (D. Kan. 1994).

Opinion

[932]*932MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

CROW, District Judge.

On November 17, 1993, the grand jury returned an indictment charging the defendants in Count 1 with conspiracy to manufacture 80 kilograms of amphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and in Count 2 with maintaining a place for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing or using a controlled substance in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 856.

This case comes before the court upon the defendants’ pretrial motions. The defendants have filed the following pretrial motions:

Motions filed by Charles McKee (Represented by Marilyn Trubey):

1. Motion to Suppress Statement (Dk. 16).

2. Motion to Suppress Evidence (Dk. 17).

Motions filed by Kevin McLaughlin (Represented by John Ambrosio):

1. Motion for Disclosure by Government (Dk. 20).

2. Motion to Compel the Disclosure of Existence and Substance of Promises of Immunity, Leniency or Preferential Treatment (Dk. 21).

The government has filed a response to each of the defendant’s motions (Dk. 18, 19, and 24). The government has also filed a supplemental response to McKee’s motion to suppress evidence.

On February 9, 1994, the court conducted a hearing on the defendants’ motions. During that hearing, the government introduced the testimony of three witnesses and introduced seven exhibits. The court, having considered the evidence presented, the briefs and arguments of counsel, and the applicable law, is now prepared to rule.

Motion to Suppress Statement (Dk. 16).

McKee asks the court to suppress from evidence statements that he allegedly made to law enforcement officers on September 3, 1992, for the reason that the statements were not voluntary due to his intoxicated state. According to McKee’s brief, he was intoxicated at the time he made statements to the police and that his inebriated state should have been obvious to officers.

The government responds, arguing that a review of the videotape1 and transcript of the defendant’s statement refute his claim that he was intoxicated. According to the government’s brief, McKee neither indicated nor appeared to be intoxicated at the time he made statements to the officers. The government argues that even if McKee now claims that he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of his questioning, that fact is only a factor to be used in evaluating the voluntariness of his statements. The government also points to the absence of any allegation that the police used any coercive tactics during his questioning.

Applicable Law

In Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 444, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 1612, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966), the Supreme Court held that “the prosecution may not use statements, whether exculpatory or inculpatory, stemming from custodial interrogation of the defendant unless it demonstrates the use of procedural safeguards effective to secure the privilege against self-incrimination.” For purposes of Miranda, interrogation “refers not only to express questioning, but also to any words or actions on the part of the police (other than those normally attendant to arrest and custody) that the police should know are reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response from the suspect.” Rhode Island v. Innis, 446 U.S. 291, 301, 100 S.Ct. 1682, 1689-90, 64 L.Ed.2d 297 (1980).

Post-arrest statements are admissible if the accused was informed of his Miranda rights and knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily waived them prior to making the statements. The burden rests with the government to prove a valid waiver by a preponderance of the evidence. Colorado v. Connelly, 479 U.S. 157, 168-69, 107 S.Ct. 515, 522, 93 L.Ed.2d 473 (1986); U.S. v. Amos, [933]*933984 F.2d 1067, 1074 (10th Cir.1993). A court may find a proper waiver “[o]nly if the ‘totality of the circumstances surrounding the interrogation’ reveal both an uneoerced choice and the requisite level of comprehension.” Moran v. Burbine, 475 U.S. 412, 421, 106 S.Ct. 1135, 1141, 89 L.Ed.2d 410 (1986).2 In considering whether the confession or statement is one of free will, the courts look to several factors, including: the age, education, and intelligence of the defendant; the length of detention and questioning; whether Miranda warnings were given; the defendant’s physical and mental characteristics; and the location of the questioning. U.S. v. Chalan, 812 F.2d 1302, 1307 (10th Cir.1987); see U.S. v. Short, 947 F.2d 1445, 1449 (10th Cir.1991), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 112 S.Ct. 1680, 118 L.Ed.2d 397 (1992). Particularly important are the factors of the law enforcement’s conduct and the defendant’s capacity to resist the pressure to confess. U.S. v. Casal, 915 F.2d 1225, 1228 (8th Cir.1990), cert. denied, 499 U.S. 941, 111 S.Ct. 1400, 113 L.Ed.2d 455 (1991). “In no case, however, is any single factor determinative.” Chalan, 812 F.2d at 1307. Once the defendant validly waives his Miranda rights, interrogation may continue until the defendant invokes his rights or changed circumstances suggest the responses have become involuntary. U.S. v. Abreu, 730 F.Supp. 1018, 1030 (D.Colo.1990), aff'd, 935 F.2d 1130 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 112 S.Ct. 271, 116 L.Ed.2d 224 (1991).

McKee apparently argues that his obvious state of intoxication left him unable to voluntarily waive his rights. The defendant, however, does not allege the existence of any coercive police questioning or actions. The defendant does not explain how the officers’ actions were done in a manner to exploit his intoxicated state. Consequently, the defendant’s argument is tantamount to the proposition that law enforcement officers must end all contact with an intoxicated defendant in custody and anything that an intoxicated defendant says during such contact is per se involuntary. The defendant has no authority for his position or this proposition. The lack of authority is not surprising, for the Supreme Court rejected this very proposition in Colorado v. Connelly, 479 U.S. 157, 164, 107 S.Ct. 515, 520, 93 L.Ed.2d 473 (1986) (A defendant’s mental condition does not by itself determine the issue of voluntariness).

Intoxication does not singularly or automatically render a confession involuntary. U.S. v. Muniz, 1 F.3d 1018, 1022 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 114 S.Ct. 575, 126 L.Ed.2d 474 (1993); U.S. v. Chrismon, 965 F.2d 1465, 1469 (7th Cir.1992); U.S. v. Casal, 915 F.2d at 1229; U.S. v. Newman, 889 F.2d 88, 94-95 (6th Cir.1989), cert. denied, 495 U.S. 959, 110 S.Ct. 2566, 109 L.Ed.2d 748 (1990). The Supreme Court in Connelly

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Bluebook (online)
846 F. Supp. 930, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2807, 1994 WL 76605, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-mckee-ksd-1994.