North Carolina v. Butler PDF

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North Carolina v. Butler case brief...

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North&Carolina& v.&Butler& Saturday,& November& 19,&2016

7:51& PM

*once& a&court& determines& that& the&suspect& was&in&custody,& and&was& interrogated,& the& next& step& is&waiver 1979 • Facts:& ○ Butler& was&arrested& by&an&FBI&agent& and&subsequently& convicted& of& kidnapping,& armed& robbery,& and&felonious& assault& ○ FBI&officer& testified& that&at&the&time& of&the& arrest& he&fully& advised& the& respondent& of&his&Miranda& rights& ○ Agents& determined& that& the&respondent& had&an&11th&grade& education& and&was&literate,& given& the&Bureau's& "Advice& of&Rights"& form& which& he&read& § When& asked& if&he&understood& his&rights& he&replied& yes& § Respondent& refused& to&sign& the&waiver& at&the&bottom& of&the& form& □ He& was&told& that&he&needed& neither& to&speak& nor&sign&the& waiver& but&that&the& agents& would& like& him&to&talk&to&them& ® "I&will& talk& to&you&but&I'm¬&signing& any&form" ◊ The& made& inculpatory& statements § Said& nothing& when& advised& of&his&right& to&counsel& nor&did&he& ever& request& counsel& or&attempt& to&terminate& the& agents& questioning& ○ Motion& to&suppress& based& that& he&had¬&waived& his&right& to&the& assistance& of&counsel& at&the&time& of&the&statements& ○ On&appeal& to&NC&Supreme& Court& the&conviction& was&reversed& § Found& the&statements& had&been& admitted& in&violation& of&the& requirements& of&the&Miranda& decision □ The& respondent& had& refused& to&waive& in&writing& his&right& to&have& counsel& present& and&that& there& had¬&been& a& specific oral waiver

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specific& oral& waiver& □ Miranda& opinion: ® "providing& in&plain& language& that&waiver& of&the& right& to&counsel& during& interrogation& will& not&be& recognized& unless& such& waiver& is&specifically& made& after& the&Miranda& warnings& have&been& given" Issue:& Is&a&defendant’s& self-incriminating& testimony& inadmissible& when& there& is&no&express& waiver& of Miranda rights? Holding: ○ no ○ If&the&interrogation& continues& without& the&presence& of&an&attorney& and&a&statement& is&taken,& a&heavy& burden& rests& on&the&government& to&demonstrate& that& the&defendant& knowingly& and&intelligently& waived& his&privilege& against& self& incrimination& and&his&right& to& retained& or&appointed& counsel& ○ An&express& statement& that&the& individual& is&willing& to&make& a& statement& and&does¬&want& an&attorney& followed& closely& by&a& statement& could& constitute& a&waiver& § But&a&valid& waiver& will& not&be&presumed& simply& from& the& silence& of&the& accused& after& warnings& are& given& ○ HELD:& An&express& statement& can& constitute& a&waiver,& and&that& silence& alone& after& such&warnings& cannot& do&so ○ Express& written& or&oral& statement& of&waiver& of&the&right& to&remain& silent& or&of&the& right& to&counsel& is&usually& strong& proof& of&waiver,& but& is¬&inevitable& necessary& or&sufficient& to&establish& waiver& North& Carolina's& judgment& creates& an&inflexible& rule& that&no&implicit& waiver& can& ever& suffice,& going& beyond& the&requirements& of&federal& organic& law&-->& follows& that&it's& judgment& cannot& stand&since& a&state& court& can&neither& add&to&nor&subtract& from& the&mandates& of&the&constitution Today:& allows& finding& of&waiver& based& upon&"inference& from& the& actions& and&words& of&the&person& interrogated" ○ Ambiguity& interpreted& against& the& interrogator& § Recognition& of&the&"compulsion& inherent& in&custodial"& interrogation& and&its&purpose& "to&subjugate& the&individual& to& the&will& of&his&examiner"&...