Brown v. State

Thompson, J., delivered the opinion of the Court. Delone Emerson Brown, the appellant, was convicted of murder in the second degree in a non-jury trial by the Circuit Court for Garrett County. He was sentenced to a term of 16 years. Brown contends that his written confession was erroneously admitted into evidence.

On February 18, 1968, at about 10:50 P.M., State Trooper Robert Lashley received a call to investigate a stabbing in a tavern in Deer Park. When Lashley arrived he found William ⁵⁶⁶ Paugh lying in the middle of the floor of the tavern. He was dead on arrival at the Garrett County Memorial Hospital as a result of two stab wounds in the chest. Eashley continued his investigation by going to the residence of a Mrs. Malcomb.

Brown was present at the Malcomb residence, and both voluntarily agreed to go with the police officers to the Sheriff’s office. Lashley drove his car, followed by Brown and Malcomb in their car. At the Sheriff’s office, Brown was taken into a room where the State’s Attorney, the Sheriff, Deputy Evans, and Lashley were present. The State’s Attorney, according to Lashley’s testimony, gave Brown the following warnings: “A. You introduced yourself as the State’s Attorney, you advised him of his rights to remain silent, you advised him of his right to obtain counsel if he wished to do so that he had this opportunity, at anytime we were talking to him, he had a right to not say anything if he did not wish to do so, and that he also was advised that anything that he did say, if he said anything, could and would be used against him in Court. “Q. Was he advised that if he did not have the money with which to employ an attorney, one would be appointed for him ? “A. Yes, sir. “Q. Was he then asked physically 1 whether or not he wanted to consult with an attorney ? “A. Yes, he was. “Q. And what was his reply ? “A. No. “Q. He did not want an attorney ? “A. No, sir. “Q. All right, did I then proceed to question him about the events just subsequent—just prior to that time at Bob and Madelyn’s Tavern ? “A. Yes, sir.” ⁵⁶⁷ This testimony was corroborated by Evans.

Apparently Brown gave only an exculpatory statement at that time. In any event, the next day, Evans drove him to the State Police Barracks at LaVale, a distance of fifty miles, for further interrogation. At the barracks Brown was questioned for an hour by Sergeant Stafford, a lie detector expert of the Maryland State Police. Stafford did not give the Miranda warnings because he was informed that Brown had already been given the warnings which, in absence of direct evidence, we must assume to be the warnings of the night before.

After one hour of questioning, Stafford turned Brown over to the State’s Attorney. Stafford’s testimony on the point was as follows: “Q. After the interrogation was completed, what did you do then, dictate your recollection of the interview ? “A. No, sir, I took him back to Mr. Thayer and Lashley and had him repeat it there.” Brown, after warnings, then repeated to the State’s Attorney, Evans, and Lashley what he had told Stafford earlier. The interrogation lasted from 4:10 to 4:47 P.M. wherein Brown gave an inculpatory statement. After this, Brown later talked informally to Stafford during Brown’s dinner.

At 6:15 Brown made more inculpatory additions to his earlier statement. The warnings given at 4:10 were as follows: “Q. What did I tell him this time ? “A. You told him the same thing, that he was entitled to a lawyer and he could stop at any time on this that he wanted to and he was entitled to a lawyer, and if he couldn’t afford one, we’d get him one. “Q. Did I advise him of his right to remain silent ? “A. Yes, sir. “Q. Did I advise him that if he did choose to make a statement, it would and could be used against him? “A. Yes, sir. “Q. Did I make any threats to him ? “A. No, sir. “Q. Did I make him any promises ? “A. No, sir. ⁵⁶⁸ “Q. Did he then give a statement to those of us who were present? “A. Yes, sir. “Q. In your opinion did he understand what he was told when he was warned ? “A. Yes, sir. “Q. Did he make any reply when we asked him if he wanted a lawyer ? “A. No, he said he didn’t want any. “Q. He said he did not want any ? “A. Right. “Q. All right, were you present when his statement was given ? “A. Yes, sir. “Q. All right, now after he had concluded his statement, did he then some little while later indicate a desire to make an addition to that statement? “A. Yes, sir. “Q. And did he, in fact, add something to it? “A. Yes, sir, he said that after— “Q. Now, don’t tell what he said—he did— “A. Yes, sir. “Q. Between the time that he made the statement and the time that he added to it, did he discuss the case with Sgt. Stafford ? “A. Yeah, I guess so. “Q. All right, now at the time he made the statement then, he had been twice warned of his constitutional rights and had twice refused an attorney ? “A. That’s right. “Q. And you believed that he understood it ? “A. Yes, sir.” Brown testified that he asked the State’s Attorney for an attorney the firs.t night after he had received his Miranda warnings, and the next day while he was at LaVale. When Brown returned from LaVale he again asked for an attorney at which time the State’s Attorney called one for him, but the attorney refused to accept the case.

The State’s witnesses testified that ⁵⁶⁹ Brown did not ask for an attorney until he returned from LaV ale. The court stated that it believed the witnesses for the State and not Brown, and admitted the statement. Brown contends that it was error to admit his confession into evidence, and we agree. Although the record shows that Brown was warned on Sunday night and that he waived his right to an attorney at that time, there is no showing that he expressly waived his right to be silent.