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Rankin v. StateRankin v. State

Supreme Court of Alabama
Mar 17, 1989
87-1435
Reporters:
, ,
PER CURIAM.

In quashing the writ, we are not to be understood as agreeing ‍​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍with the rationale of the Court of Criminal Appeals’ opinion, 541 So.2d 577, (Part I), dealing with the issue whether the testimony of a police *583dispatcher was inadmissible ‍​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍as violative of the “Miranda rule” (Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966)). Without deciding whether this witness was acting on behalf of law enforcement officers or ‍​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍as a private citizen in obtaining an inculpatory statement from the defendant, we hold that the trial court’s admission of the evidence is otherwise sustainable ‍​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍because of the noncustodial context in which the defendant’s statement was made. The safeguards provided by Miranda apply only when an individual is subjected to custodial interrogation. United States ‍​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‍v. Phillips, 812 F.2d 1355 (11th Cir.1987); Pate v. State, 492 So.2d 1026 (Ala.Crim.App.1986).

WRIT QUASHED.

All the Justices concur.

Case Details

Case Name: Rankin v. State
Court Name: Supreme Court of Alabama
Date Published: Mar 17, 1989
Citations: 541 So. 2d 582; 1989 Ala. LEXIS 125; 1989 WL 36142; 87-1435
Docket Number: 87-1435
Court Abbreviation: Ala.
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