Defendants constitutional rights under Massiah v.United States (1964) 377 U.S. 201 were not violated when the police arranged for his girlfriend to secretly record inculpatory telephone conversations while he was represented by counsel. In addition to a murder, the police were investigating defendants later intimidation of the girlfriend as a witness. Here the police provided the recording equipment. The girlfriend voluntarily contacted the police (although she was in fear for hers and her daughters lives), the police did not give her any instructions or suggested questions. The appellate court found no waiver of Sixth Amendment rights since defendant initiated the conversation, the girlfriend was not acting as the agent of the police, and the interrogation was her idea Because the police were investigating the new crime of witness intimidation, and defendant had not yet been charged with that crime, defendants Sixth Amendment right had not yet attached. Thus there was no knowing circumvention of defendants right to counsel
Case Summaries