State v. Strahan

Jul 21, 1977
60311
Reporters:
Before:
Summers

Writ granted. The reasons assigned by the trial judge for his ruling are incorrect. After claiming his legal rights, a defendant may change his mind, waive his rights, and ‍​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‍make a voluntary statement. See State v. Peevy, La., 321 So.2d 324 (1975); State v. Law, 214 Kan. 643, 522 P.2d 320; Michigan v. Mosley, 423 U.S. 96, 96 S.Ct. 321, 46 L.Ed.2d 313 (1975). ‍​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‍Moreover, we do not interpret the affidavit, the sole basis for the ruling, as an immediate request for counsel. Hence, we reverse the ruling and remand the case to ‍​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‍the trial court for reconsideration of the question of whether the statement was freely and voluntarily made after a waiver of Miranda rights based on all the evidence.

SUMMERS, J., concurs, on the ‍​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‍sole basis that the ruling of the trial judge is erroneous and should be reversed.