delivered the opinion of the court:
Defendant Robert Hartgraves was tried in the criminal court of Cook County before a jury, found guilty óf arson, and sentenced to the penitentiary for a term .of not less than four nor more than eight years. He prosecutes this writ of error to review his conviction. The defendant contends that he was wrongfully denied the right to inspect upon demand the police report of a prosecution witness, and that a confession was obtained by constitutionally impermissible means.
A verified petition of the defendant to suppress a confession was filed in advance of the trial and a hearing was held thereon. Officer John Weiss, one of the witnesses who
In the case of People v. Wolff,
Despite our belief that the trial court correctly followed the proper procedure with regard to an impeaching document, we feel that the defendant was entitled to inspect the report for another reason. It is clear that a defendant has the right to examine any document used by a witness on the stand to refresh his present recollection. This right was extended by this court in People v. Scott,
Finally, the defendant contends that the confessions should have been suppressed, alleging on appeal that they were obtained by physical and mental abuse and coercion, a promise of leniency, and because the defendant was refused the right to make a telephone call during interrogation and was not advised of his constitutional right to remain silent. The trial court determined these questions by a preliminary hearing and held that the confessions were voluntary. On review such determination will not be disturbed unless manifestly against the weight of the evidence, or unless the court has committed an abuse of discretion. People v. DiGerlando,
Defendant’s verified petition to suppress his confession alleged that he was held incommunicado for three and one-half hours without being allowed to contact friends or
Overwhelming testimony by the police officers, police doctors, an assistant State’s Attorney and other witnesses clearly and convincingly refute the claim of brutality or other mistreatment, and of threats to himself, his wife or child. It is clear that the shoulder injury suffered by defendant was caused by two prior injuries in no way connected with his arrest or treatment by the police.
The testimony further refutes the claim that defendant was denied the right to make a phone call and the trial judge could clearly have found from the testimony of at least two witnesses that defendant was permitted to make a phone call to his wife upon his first request and that he called and talked to her and advised her not to worry.
It is true that defendant was not affirmatively warned that his confession might be used against him, but it has been held that this does not render a confession incompetent. (People v. Davis,
In the Escobedo case, the United States Supreme Court held that the refusal of a request to consult with counsel, coupled with a failure to warn accused of his right to remain silent, amounted to a denial of “the Assistance of Counsel” as guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
In the present case the trial court considered testimony of the failure to warn the accused, and there is no evidence that defendant requested the assistance of counsel. Under all the facts and circumstances of this case, we hold that the failure to warn the accused did not compel a rejection of the confession.
In coming to this conclusion we are mindful of apparently contrary conclusions reached in State v. Neely, (Sup. Ct., Ore., September 30, 1964),--Ore.--,
We do not, however, read the Escobedo case as requiring the rejection of a voluntary confession because the State did not affirmatively caution the accused of his right to have an attorney and his right to remain silent before his admissions of guilt.
The defendant was arrested and transported to police headquarters at approximately 11 :oo P.M. on the night of
On this appeal, however, defendant strenuously argues that the voluntariness of his confession was vitiated by a promise of lenience or immunity, citing People v. Martorano, 359 Ill- 258. It must be noted that neither the petition to suppress nor defendant’s testimony at the hearing on the petition raised any suggestion that his confessions were induced by a promise of leniency. This question arose only after an extensive cross-examination of one of the police officers, in which he admitted that he told the defendant, “It would go easier for him in court if he made a statement.” This is in no way the direct promise of leniency made in People v. Heide,
It is further significant that the defendant did not suggest that he was influenced by any promise of leniency until the statement of the police officer on cross-examination. A reading of the entire record indicates by overwhelming weight of the evidence that defendant voluntarily confessed after being confronted with accusatory statements of two other persons involved in the crime.
The trial court properly held that the confessions given by the defendant were voluntary and the evidence presented at the trial in this case clearly established defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The judgment of the criminal court of Cook County is affirmed. , , , „
, judgment affirmed.
