Donovan, a juvenile, appeals his conviction of first degree murder. He argues the court erred in denying his motion to suppress certain statements, testimonial acts, and physical evidence because the detaining officers made no effort to contact his parents, contrary of Section 39.03 Florida Statutes (1979), after he was taken into custody. He also argues the court erred in denying his motion for mistrial after a prosecution witness improperly commented on his exercise of his right to remain silent. We affirm.
Donovan was taken into custody at his parents’ home on a Sunday evening. His step-father answered the door and was informed the officers wished to talk to Do
In Doerr v. State,
In his second point on appeal, Donovan challenges certain portions of Officer Smith’s testimony as being impermissible comments on his exercise of his right to remain silent. Any comment upon a defendant’s remaining silent or refusing to testify in the face of accusation is an error of constitutional dimension requiring a new trial without consideration of the harmless error doctrine. Shannon v. State,
During trial, Officer Smith testified that Donovan was brought to the Escambia County Investigation Division at 8:30 p. m. He remained there approximately five minutes before being taken across the street to the Division of Youth Services. The portions of Officer Smith’s testimony on direct examination which are challenged are as follows:
Q. During that time, where was he taken and what was done?
A. ... I walked into the office, at which time we read Tim his rights. Timmy denied having any knowledge of knowing what we were talking about.
At this point, defense counsel objected and moved for a mistrial. The motion was denied. Continuing later on direct examination:
Q. Now at that time did the defendant sign this rights waiver?
A. Yes, he did. No, sir. No, sir. Tim did not sign a rights form the first time I read it.
Smith then stated that Donovan remained at the sheriff’s office approximately three to five minutes before being taken across the street to the Division of Youth Services. Continuing on direct examination:
Q. And after you got over to the Division of Youth Services, what did y’all do?
A. ... I read Timmy his rights again.
Q. Did you read them from the same form that you just read from?
A. Yes, sir, I did.
Q. And did he indicate that he understood what his rights were?
A. If I could back up—
Q. Please do.
A. At the time while I was reading his rights the first time, Tim just looked at me. He never did answer me.. And then Lt. Rose started talking to him in reference about school — had he played hookey that day, or something like that.
He asked Lt. Rose, and the only question I remember Timmy asking, was what he just read to me — back to his rights— what he just said to me or read to me, does that mean that I can have a lawyer and it won’t cost me any money?
Lt. Rose says, “That’s exactly what it means.” And then Tim got quiet and he wouldn’t—
Q. (Interposing) Now, wait a second. Did he indicate that he understood those rights?
A. No, sir. Tim didn’t say anything.
Defense counsel again made a motion for mistrial which was denied. Continuing on direct examination:
Q. Officer Smith, then you went to the Division of Youth Services; is that correct?
*1308 A. Yes, sir.
Q. Across the street from the sheriff’s office?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. After you got there, did you read him his rights again?
A. Yes, sir, I did.
Q. Alright. Now, after you read his rights over there, did he indicate that he understood what those rights were?
A. Yes, sir, he did.
Q. How did he do that? Did you ask him if he understood what his rights were?
A. I was the one that was reading him his rights. I asked him, I said, “Do you understand what the question was that you asked the Lieutenant?” “Oh, yes, I understand all that. I just want to go ahead and get it off my chest. I am ready to tell you all about it.”
At this time, the state introduced testimony concerning appellant’s confession and the fact that he took investigating officers to the murder scene and retrieved the murder weapon and certain items of the victim’s clothing.
Although the state may introduce testimony concerning the incriminating statements he made, Donovan argues it was reversible error for the state to mention, as it did in the colloquy above, that he remained silent initially in the face of questioning. The state argues that the above testimony was properly admitted in order to show that Donovan was apprised of his constitutional rights and that he understood those rights before waiving them, contending the thrust of Officer Smith’s testimony reveals Donovan did not exercise his right to remain silent, but, in fact, chose to make a statement.
The Fourth District Court of Appeal was faced with a similar argument in Roban v. State,
Donovan relies on Thompson v. State,
In Brown v. State,
Bennett, however, articulated a prophylactic rule designed to obviate the possibility that a conviction could ever be obtained by the improper inference that a defendant’s silence evidenced guilt.
The Court found that Brown was simply not a case in which the state attempted to gain a conviction on the basis of the defendant’s silence.
In the case before us, we are convinced that this is not a case in which the state attempted to gain a conviction on the basis
From the record, we find that the prosecutor was seeking to introduce a statement of the defendant into evidence, and it was necessary to first show that she had been properly warned of her constitutional rights, and that she knowingly and voluntarily waived those rights. The record fails to show that the defendant exercised her right to remain silent. Rather, the testimony shows that she did not seek to exercise the right to remain silent, and that her inculpatory statements were made freely, voluntarily and with full knowledge of her rights.
Similarly in United States v. Martinez,
Emphasizing the “not at that time” part of the testimony, defendants on appeal argue that it was improper and prejudicial for the Government [sic] witness thus to indicate that the defendants made statements after being warned of their Miranda rights. They argue that this comment raised an impermissible inference in the mind of the jury that some statement was made after the defendants had been warned according to Miranda. This remark cast a burden upon the defendants, they contend, to either produce the statement or permit the inference to remain with the jury that the statement was unfavorable. Of course, the government is not prohibited from introducing statements made by a defendant after receiving Miranda warnings. (Cites omitted). In this case, any dilemma the defendants may have felt to produce the statements or leave an inference with the jury that the statements were adverse was dissolved when the government itself offered the statements through the same witness. Therefore, no impropriety occurred, whether the testimony is viewed in part or as a whole.
We feel the rule enunciated in Williams v. State, supra and United States v. Martinez, supra, recognizing that the testimony should be taken as a whole, is more logical and consonant with reason than the strict prophylactic rule enunciated in Roban, supra.
We are aware of this court’s recent opinion in Marshall v. State,
Donovan also relies upon the recently decided opinion of the United States Supreme Court in Edwards v. State of Arizona, - U.S. -,
Nevertheless, even if the point on appeal could be said to involve the question of whether the confession should have been suppressed due to the refusal of appellant to waive his right to counsel, we do not believe that the present record reveals, in the words of Edwards, that appellant “clearly asserted his right to counsel.” The fair import of Officer Smith’s testimony shows that Donovan never invoked his right to have counsel present during the interrogation; that his inquiry was directed solely to the question of whether a lawyer would be provided without any cost to him, and that once the police responded affirmatively, Donovan failed to pursue his inquiry further. This is a far cry from the situation in Edwards where the defendant, during interrogation, stated that he “wished an attorney before making any deal.”
AFFIRMED.
