Interrogations & Confessions

Name: U.S. v. Morgan
Case #: 12-10056
Court: US Court of Appeals
District 9 Cir
Opinion Date: 06/03/2013
  • Categories: Areas Constitutional Law, Civil Rights, Confessions, Interrogations & Confessions, Miranda v. Arizona, Right Against Self-incrim

Border patrol officer who reread Miranda rights to defendant who had already invoked her right to counsel did not impermissibly reinstitute interrogation. Morgan pled guilty to federal drug offenses after her motion to suppress her statements to police was denied.…

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Name: United States v. Barnes
Case #: 11-30107
Court: US Court of Appeals
District 9 Cir
Opinion Date: 04/18/2013
  • Categories: Areas Constitutional Law, Confessions, Interrogations & Confessions, Miranda v. Arizona, Right Against Self-incrim, Waiver

Defendant's federal drug conviction reversed where FBI agents deliberately delayed giving Miranda warnings in an effort to induce self-incrimination. Defendant was convicted of a federal drug offense after the trial court denied his motion to suppress statements he gave to…

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Name: People v. Westmoreland
Case #: A127394
Court: CA Court of Appeal
District 1 DCA
Division: 5
Opinion Date: 02/05/2013
Subsequent History: Review granted, depublished, and transferred.
  • Categories: Areas Constitutional Law, Confront/Cross-exam, Interrogations & Confessions, Involuntary/Coerced, Right Against Self-incrim

Defendant's murder conviction reversed where his involuntary confession was obtained by police promises that he would not receive a life sentence for an unpremeditated murder during a "robbery gone wrong." Defendant was convicted of first degree murder, robbery, and burglary…

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Name: Thompson v. Runnels
Case #: 08-16186
Court: US Court of Appeals
District 9 Cir
Opinion Date: 01/24/2013
  • Categories: Areas Constitutional Law, Confessions, Interrogations & Confessions, Miranda v. Arizona, Right Against Self-incrim

"Clearly established federal law" is assessed as of the time of the final state court adjudication on the merits. Thus, defendant's inculpatory post-Miranda statements were admissible in the absence of police coercion. Using a "two-step" interrogation procedure whereby Miranda warnings…

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Name: People v. Thomas et al.
Case #: D057485
Court: CA Court of Appeal
District 4 DCA
Division: 1
Opinion Date: 12/11/2012
  • Categories: Areas Constitutional Law, Confessions, Cruel and Unusual Punishment, Interrogations & Confessions, Involuntary/Coerced, Minor Found Unfit, Miranda v. Arizona, Other, Sentencing

Appellant, who was 15 years old at time of homicide offenses and sentenced to 196 years to life, is entitled to resentencing in light of Miller v. Alabama (2012) 567 U.S. ___ [183 L.Ed.2d 407, 132 S.Ct. 2455]. Appellant Satterwhite…

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Name: People v. Gonzalez
Case #: B236874
Court: CA Court of Appeal
District 2 DCA
Division: 1
Opinion Date: 10/26/2012
  • Categories: Confessions, Evidence, Gang Affiliation, Interrogations & Confessions, Legislation, Retroactivity/Abatement

Penal Code section 1111.5 (corroboration of jailhouse informants) does not apply retroactively. Appellant was convicted of a first degree murder that occurred in 2008 and was sentenced in 2011. At appellant's trial, a police informant testified regarding information that he…

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Name: People v. Gonzalez
Case #: D059083
Court: CA Court of Appeal
District 4 DCA
Division: 1
Opinion Date: 10/29/2012
  • Categories: Areas Constitutional Law, Confessions, Government Agent Elicits, Interrogations & Confessions, Involuntary/Coerced, Miranda v. Arizona, Right Against Self-incrim

A parole agent's promise of leniency to the parolee, which causes the parolee to confess, results in an involuntary and inadmissible confession. Appellant, charged with attempted murder, aggravated mayhem, simple mayhem, and other offenses and enhancements, brought a motion in…

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Name: People v. Franzen
Case #: H037217
Court: CA Court of Appeal
District 6 DCA
Opinion Date: 11/06/2012
  • Categories: Evidence, Hearsay, Interrogations & Confessions, Miranda v. Arizona, Presentation of Evidence, Trial Proceedings

Internet data base ("Entersect") which is used by police to identify a cell phone owner is not admissible under the "published compilation" exception to the hearsay rule. An undercover police officer arranged a purchase of methamphetamine after responding to an…

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Name: People v. Sauceda-Contreras
Case #: S191747
Court: CA Supreme Court
District CalSup
Opinion Date: 08/13/2012
  • Categories: Interrogations & Confessions, Miranda v. Arizona

An officer may clarify the defendant's intent to invoke or waive Miranda after there is a conditional, ambiguous, and equivocal statement about bringing him a lawyer. The defendant was found burning a body in his backyard. He moved to exclude…

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Name: People v. Thomas
Case #: S067519
Court: CA Supreme Court
District CalSup
Opinion Date: 07/23/2012
  • Categories: Interrogations & Confessions, Miranda v. Arizona

The rule of Edwards v. Arizona (1981) 451 U.S. 477 does not preclude questioning about a different criminal investigation after the suspect reinitiates contact with police. In this death penalty case, appellant moved to exclude statements as violative of Edwards;…

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