United States v. Dussault

[NOT FOR PUBLICATION] UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT No. 96-1257 UNITED STATES, Appellee, v. DENNIS L. DUSSAULT, Defendant, Appellant. APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND [Hon. Francis J. Boyle, Senior U.S. District Judge] Before Torruella, Chief Judge, Selya and Stahl, Circuit Judges. Edward F. St.Onge on brief for appellant. Sheldon Whitehouse, United States Attorney, and Andrew J. Reich, Assistant United States Attorney, on brief for appellee. December 30, 1997 Per Curiam. We have reviewed the submissions by the parties and the record in this case, and we affirm the judgment of conviction. Appellant Dennis Dussault ("Dussault") contends statements he made to an ATF agent should not have been admitted into evidence, because 1) he was never warned of his constitutional rights pursuant to Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966), and 2) his counsel was not present while he made the statements in question. Neither argument has merit. Miranda applies only when a suspect is subjected to a "custodial interrogation." United States v. Ventura, 85 F.3d 708, 710 (1st Cir. 1996) (citing Illinois v. Perkins, 496 U.S. 292, 297 (1990)). Under no version of the facts could the exchange between Dussault and the ATF agent be characterized as an "interrogation." For the same reason, counsel's absence during the initial exchange between Dussault and the agent did not violate Dussault's constitutional rights. Oregon v. Bradshaw, 462 U.S. 1039, 1044-45 (1983) (counsel's absence during interrogation violates suspect's constitutional rights if suspect has not knowingly and intelligently waived right to counsel); see also Arizona v. Fulminante, 499 U.S. 279, 286 (1991); 18 U.S.C. 3501(d). Dussault's remaining points on appeal are waived due to the failure to fully brief those issues. United States v. Pierro, 32 F.3d 611, 621 (1st Cir. 1994). -2- Affirmed. Loc. R. 27.1. -3-