80-325
I N THE SUPREME COURT O THE STATE O M N A A
F F OTN
1981
I N THE M T E O R.P. S.
ATR F
Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court of t h e T h i r t e e n t h J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t ,
I n and f o r t h e County o f Y e l l o w s t o n e , Montana
Honorable Diane G. B a r z , J u d g e p r e s i d i n g .
Counsel o f Record:
For Appellant:
S t a c e y and J a r u s s i , B i l l i n g s , Montana
C a l v i n J. S t a c e y a r g u e d , B i l l i n g s , Montana
F o r Respondent:
Hon. Mike G r e e l y , A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l , H e l e n a , Montana
Mark J . Murphy a r g u e d , A s s i s t a n t A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l ,
H e l e n a , Montana
H a r o l d F. H a n s e r , County A t t o r n e y , B i l l i n g s , Montana
R o b e r t P. Morin a r g u e d , Deputy County A t t o r n e y ,
B i l l i n g s , Montana
Submitted: January 1 9 , 1981
Decided: F e b r u a r y 1 8 , 1981
o Clerk
M r . C h i e f J u s t i c e F r a n k I . Haswell d e l i v e r e d t h e O p i n i o n of t h e
Court.
R.P.S. a p p e a l s f r o m t w o o r d e r s of t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t of
Y e l l o w s t o n e C o u n t y , s i t t i n g a s t h e Youth C o u r t : (1) d e n y i n g
s u p p r e s s i o n o f a l l e g e d i n c r i m i n a t o r y s t a t e m e n t s made by R.P.S.
r e l a t i n g to a homicide, ( 2 ) t r a n s f e r r i n g t h e p r o s e c u t i o n of
R.P.S. f r o m Youth C o u r t t o t h e a d u l t c r i m i n a l c o u r t ( i . e . t h e
District Court). W a f f i r m both orders.
e
On November 1 0 , 1 9 7 9 , t h e body o f a 1 6 - y e a r - o l d female w a s
f o u n d i n a n a r e a s o u t h w e s t o f t h e B i l l i n g s KOA Campground. An
a u t o p s y r e v e a l e d t h a t t h e v i c t i m had b e e n s e x u a l l y a s s a u l t e d and
h a d d i e d by s t r a n g u l a t i o n . On November 1 4 , t h e s h e r i f f I s o f f ice
r e c e i v e d i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t R.P.S. had b u r n e d t h e v i c t i m ' s c a r .
The o f f i c e c o n t a c t e d R.P.S. who v o l u n t a r i l y came to t h e s h e r i f f ' s
o f f i c e w i t h o u t h i s p a r e n t s , w a i v e d h i s M i r a n d a r i g h t s , and a l l e -
gedly confessed during questioning.
R.P.S. was 1 0 d a y s s h o r t of h i s 1 8 t h b i r t h d a y o n t h e d a t e
o f t h e a l l e g e d c r i m e s , b u t was 1 8 y e a r s o l d a t t h e t i m e of t h e
i n t e r r o g a t i o n l e a d i n g t o h i s a l l e g e d c o n f e s s i o n on November 1 4 .
On November 1 5 , a p e t i t i o n was f i l e d i n t h e Y o u t h C o u r t
a l l e g i n g t h a t R.P.S. w a s a d e l i n q u e n t y o u t h by r e a s o n of h a v i n g
c o m m i t t e d t h e o f f e n s e s o f d e l i b e r a t e h o m i c i d e and s e x u a l i n t e r -
course without consent. The f o l l o w i n g d a y t h e S t a t e moved t o
t r a n s f e r t h e case t o t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t i n o r d e r t o p r o s e c u t e
R.P.S. as a n a d u l t . Ten d a y s l a t e r R.P.S. f i l e d a motion t o
s u p p r e s s t h e a l l e g e d c o n f e s s i o n o r a d m i s s i o n and a l l p h y s i c a l
evidence d i r e c t l y relating thereto.
On December 17, w h i l e i n c a r c e r a t e d i n t h e Y e l l o w s t o n e
C o u n t y j a i l , R.P.S. made a p h o n e c a l l t o h i s f r i e n d L.S. who w a s
h a v i n g a p a r t y a t h i s home. D u r i n g t h e c o u r s e of t h e
c o n v e r s a t i o n , L.S. a s k e d R. P.S. i f h e r e a l l y d i d it and R. P.S.
r e p l i e d "Yeah." R.P.S. t h e n r e l a t e d some of t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s
surrounding the offenses. The l a w e n f o r c e m e n t o f f i c e r s were n o t
a w a r e o f t h i s a l l e g e d c o n f e s s i o n t o L.S. u n t i l J a n u a r y 26,
s h o r t l y a £ t e r t h e y had resumed t h e i r i n v e s t i g a t i o n .
On J a n u a r y 21, 1 9 8 0 , f o l l o w i n g a h e a r i n g , t h e Youth C o u r t ,
t h e Honorable Diane G. Barz p r e s i d i n g , entered an order
s u p p r e s s i n g t h e a l l e g e d c o n f e s s i o n and a l l p h y s i c a l e v i d e n c e
d e r i v e d t h e r e f r o m o n two g r o u n d s : (1) t h a t l a w e n f o r c e m e n t o f f i-
c e r s f a i l e d t o o b t a i n a w a i v e r from R . P . S . ' s parents prior to
q u e s t i o n i n g him as i s r e q u i r e d when q u e s t i o n i n g a y o u t h p u r s u a n t
t o s e c t i o n 41-5-303, MCA, and ( 2 ) t h a t R.P.S. d i d n o t make a
knowing, i n t e l l i g e n t and v o l u n t a r y w a i v e r o f h i s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l
r i g h t s a t t h e t i m e o f t h e a l l e g e d q u e s t i o n i n g and c o n f e s s i o n
b e c a u s e o f h i s i n c a p a c i t y t o d o so. On a p p e a l w e a f f i r m e d o n t h e
second ground. I n t h e Matter o f R.P.S. (1980), Mont . I
6 1 3 P.2d 9 9 9 , 37 S t . R e p . 1083.
T h e r e a f t e r on J u l y 1, 1 9 8 0 , t h e S t a t e moved t o s e t f o r
h e a r i n g i t s m o t i o n t o t r a n s f e r t h e case f r o m t h e Y o u t h C o u r t t o
t h e District Court. On J u l y 9 , R.P.S. f i l e d a n o t h e r m o t i o n to
s u p p r e s s d i r e c t e d a t e v i d e n c e h e a n t i c i p a t e d would be o f f e r e d a t
the t r a n s f e r hearing, s p e c i f i c a l l y t h e a l l e g e d c o n f e s s i o n R. P.S.
made t o L.S. d u r i n g t h e p h o n e c a l l o f December 1 7 and a l l p h y s i -
c a l evidence derived therefrom. A c o n s o l i d a t e d hearing on t h e
t w o m o t i o n s was h e l d o n J u l y 1 4 i n Y o u t h C o u r t .
On A u g u s t 4, t h e Y o u t h C o u r t e n t e r e d i t s f i n d i n g s o f f a c t ,
c o n c l u s i o n s o f l a w , memorandum and o r d e r : (1) d e n y i n g R. P.S. 's
m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s , and ( 2 ) t r a n s f e r r i n g t h e case f r o m t h e Y o u t h
C o u r t t o t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t f o r p r o s e c u t i o n of R. P.S. as a n
adult. R.P.S. now a p p e a l s f r o m t h e s e t w o o r d e r s . Following t h e
S t a t e ' s m o t i o n t o e x p e d i t e t h e h e a r i n g and t h e f i l i n g of w r i t t e n
s t a t e m e n t s o f f a c t by o p p o s i n g c o u n s e l , w e g r a n t e d t h e S t a t e ' s
m o t i o n and h e a r d t h e a p p e a l o n J a n u a r y 1 9 , 1 9 8 1 .
R. P.S. h a s b e e n i n c a r c e r a t e d i n t h e Y e l l o w s t o n e County
j a i l c o n t i n u o u s l y s i n c e November 1 4 , 1 9 7 9 .
On a p p e a l , R. P. S. a d v a n c e s t w o p r i n c i p a l a r g u m e n t s sup-
p o r t i n g s u p p r e s s i o n o f t h e a l l e g e d c o n f e s s i o n of December 1 7 .
F i r s t h e a r g u e s t h a t h i s a l l e g e d c o n f e s s i o n of December 1 7 t o h i s
f r i e n d L.S. was t h e r e s u l t of h i s i n v a l i d and s u p p r e s s e d con-
f e s s i o n o f November 1 4 t o l a w e n f o r c e m e n t o f f i c e r s ; h e n c e t h e
a l l e g e d c o n f e s s i o n o f December 17 i s " f r u i t o f t h e p o i s o n o u s
t r e e " and i n a d m i s s i b l e u n d e r S i l v e r t h o r n e Lumber Co. v . United
S t a t e s ( 1 9 2 0 ) , 2 5 1 U.S. 3 8 5 , 40 S . C t . 1 8 2 , 6 4 L.Ed 3 1 9 , and i t s
progeny. S e c o n d l y , R. P.S. contends t h a t the alleged confession
o f December 1 7 i s i n a d m i s s i b l e b e c a u s e o n c e h e c o n f e s s e d o n
November 1 4 , he " l e t t h e c a t o u t o f t h e bag" and a n y s u b s e q u e n t
c o n f e s s i o n made u n d e r v i r t u a l l y t h e same c o n d i t i o n s s h o u l d be
excluded. A c c o r d i n g t o R.P.S., t h e r e was n o t a s u f f i c i e n t b r e a k
i n t h e c h a i n o f e v e n t s t o remove t h e p r i m a r y t a i n t of t h e f i r s t
c o n f e s s i o n and " p u t t h e c a t b a c k i n t h e b a g , " c i t i n g United
S t a t e s v. B a y e r ( 1 9 4 7 ) , 3 3 1 U.S. 5 3 2 , 67 S . C t . 1 3 9 4 , 9 1 L.Ed.2d
1 6 5 4 and r e l a t e d cases.
The S t a t e , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , c o n t e n d s t h a t t h e i n f o r -
m a t i o n l e a d i n g t o t h e d i s c o v e r y of t h e a l l e g e d c o n f e s s i o n t o L.S.
came f r o m a n i n d e p e n d e n t s o u r c e u n r e l a t e d t o t h e f i r s t i n a d -
m i s s i b l e and s u p p r e s s e d c o n f e s s i o n of November 1 4 ; h e n c e t h e
s e c o n d c o n f e s s i o n i s u n t a i n t e d by t h e f i r s t and i s n o t s u b j e c t to
s u p p r e s s i o n as " f r u i t o f t h e p o i s o n o u s t r e e . " The S t a t e f u r t h e r
a r g u e s t h a t t h e s e c o n d a l l e g e d c o n f e s s i o n is n o t r e n d e r e d i n a d -
m i s s i b l e u n d e r t h e " c a t o u t o f t h e bag" d o c t r i n e b e c a u s e t h e
t o t a l i t y of c i r c u m s t a n c e s s u r r o u n d i n g t h e second c o n f e s s i o n
d e m o n s t r a t e s t h a t it was v o l u n t a r y and s u f f i c i e n t l y a t t e n u a t e d
f r o m t h e f i r s t t o remove a n y t a i n t .
W e f i n d t h a t t h e f r u i t of t h e p o i s o n o u s t r e e d o c t r i n e d o e s
n o t p r e v e n t t h e use of t h e second c o n f e s s i o n . The i n f o r m a t i o n
l e a d i n g t o t h e d i s c o v e r y o f t h e s e c o n d c o n f e s s i o n came f r o m a n
i n d e p e n d e n t s o u r c e , and t h u s t h e c o n f e s s i o n was c l e a n s e d of a n y
"primary taint."
The " f r u i t o f t h e p o i s o n o u s t r e e " d o c t r i n e , a s p a r t of t h e
e x c l u s i o n a r y r u l e , was f i r s t d i s c u s s e d by t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s
Supreme C o u r t i n S i l v e r t h o r n e Lumber Co. v . U.S. ( 1 9 2 0 ) , 2 5 1 U.S.
3 8 5 , 40 S . C t . 1 8 2 , 64 L.Ed 319. I t f o r b i d s t h e use of e v i d e n c e
w h i c h comes t o l i g h t as a r e s u l t of t h e e x p l o i t a t i o n of a n i n i -
t i a l i l l e g a l a c t of t h e p o l i c e . S i l v e r t h o r n e , s u p r a , 2 5 1 U.S.
a t 392, 40 S . C t . a t 1 8 3 , 64 L.Ed a t 321. B u t i n S i l v e r t h o r n e and
i n l a t e r cases, t h e C o u r t made it c l e a r t h a t a l l e v i d e n c e
o b t a i n e d as t h e r e s u l t o f a n i n i t i a l i l l e g a l i t y d o e s n o t become
forever unavailable o r inaccessible. Certain conditions can
p u r g e t h e e v i d e n c e of its "primary t a i n t . " The Supreme C o u r t
s a i d i n Wong Sun v. U n i t e d S t a t e s ( 1 9 6 3 ) , 3 7 1 U.S. 471, 83 S.Ct.
"We need n o t h o l d t h a t a l l e v i d e n c e is ' f r u i t of
t h e p o i s o n o u s t r e e ' s i m p l y b e c a u s e it would n o t
h a v e come t o l i g h t b u t f o r t h e i l l e g a l a c t i o n s
of the police. R a t h e r , t h e more a p t q u e s t i o n i n
s u c h a c a s e is ' w h e t h e r , g r a n t i n g e s t a b l i s h m e n t
o f t h e p r i m a r y i l l e g a l i t y , t h e e v i d e n c e t o which
i n s t a n t o b j e c t i o n is made h a s b e e n come a t by
e x p l o i t a t i o n o f t h a t i l l e g a l i t y or i n s t e a d by
means s u f f i c i e n t l y d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e t o be p u r g e d
o f the primary t a i n t . '"
3 7 1 U.S. a t 488, 8 3 S . C t . a t 417, 9 L.Ed.2d a t 455.
I f t h e same f a c t s a r e d i s c o v e r e d by t h e S t a t e f r o m a n
i n d e p e n d e n t s o u r c e , s u c h e v i d e n c e may be f o u n d to be c l e a n s e d o f
a n y t a i n t and becomes " u n p o i s o n e d . I' S i l v e r t h o r n e , s u p r a , 251
U.S. a t 392, 40 S . C t . a t 1 8 3 , 6 4 L.Ed a t 321. Such e v i d e n c e c a n
b e u s e d i n c o u r t o r c a n be u s e d t o o b t a i n a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n .
The q u e s t i o n i n t h e p r e s e n t case, t h e n , is whether t h e i n f o r -
m a t i o n l e a d i n g t o t h e q u e s t i o n i n g of L.S., which r e s u l t e d i n t h e
d i s c o v e r y of t h e second c o n f e s s i o n , w a s s u f f i c i e n t l y i n d e p e n d e n t
t o r e n d e r t h e second c o n f e s s i o n a d m i s s i b l e .
The h o m i c i d e w a s d i s c o v e r e d o n November 1 0 , 1 9 7 9 . An
e n t r y i n t h e i n v e s t i g a t i n g d e t e c t i v e ' s f i l e , d a t e d November 11,
1 9 7 9 , c o n t a i n e d t h e name o f L.S., i n d i c a t i n g t h a t L.S. was a
f r i e n d of t h e v i c t i m . R.P.S. was a r r e s t e d and c o n f e s s e d o n
November 1 4 , 1 9 7 9 , and i n t h a t c o n f e s s i o n m e n t i o n e d t h a t L.S. was
a f r i e n d of h i s . On November 1 7 , 1 9 7 9 , o n e of t h e o t h e r d e t e c -
t i v e s r e c e i v e d i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t a s t u d e n t (B.M.) was t a l k i n g
a b o u t t h e homicide a t high school. B.M. was i n t e r v i e w e d on
November 26, and a t t h a t t i m e B.M. indicated t h a t prior to
R. P. S . ' s a r r e s t , R. P . S. had g i v e n some i n f o r m a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g t h e
m u r d e r t o L.S. and B.M. L. S. was i n t e r v i e w e d f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e
o n J a n u a r y 26.
On November 26, R.P.S. f i l e d h i s motion to s u p p r e s s h i s
November 14 c o n f e s s i o n . On December 1 7 , R. P.S. gave h i s second
c o n f e s s i o n t o L.S. On J a n u a r y 21, t h e t r i a l c o u r t h e l d t h e
f i r s t c o n f e s s i o n i n a d m i s s i b l e , and t h e S t a t e began i t s
i n v e s t i g a t i o n anew. The December 1 7 c o n f e s s i o n was r e v e a l e d i n
t h e J a n u a r y 26 i n t e r v i e w o f L.S.
D e t e c t i v e N e w e l 1 t e s t i f i e d t h a t he began h i s s e c o n d
i n v e s t i g a t i o n on t h e b a s i s of t h e e n t r i e s i n h i s f i l e r e f e r r i n g
t o L.S. H e t e s t i f i e d t h a t he d i d n o t u t i l i z e t h e r e f e r e n c e t o
L.S. c o n t a i n e d i n R.P.S. I s f i r s t c o n f e s s i o n i n s e e k i n g o u t L.S.,
n o r d i d he r e c a l l e v e n b e i n g a w a r e of t h a t r e f e r e n c e .
I n summmary, h i s t e s t i m o n y i n d i c a t e d t h a t e v e n i f t h e name
o f L.S. came t o l i g h t a s a r e s u l t of a n i n i t i a l i l l e g a l i t y , this
same i n f o r m a t i o n was d i s c o v e r e d i n d e p e n d e n t l y , t h r e e d a y s p r i o r
t o t h e g i v i n g of t h e i n v a l i d c o n f e s s i o n . Thus w e do n o t c o n s i d e r
t h e e v i d e n c e t o be t h e p r o d u c t of any e x p l o i t a t i o n of a p r i o r
i l l e g a l i t y , and w e f i n d it t o be a d m i s s i b l e .
W e need n o t make t h e f i n d i n g which t h e S t a t e u r g e s t h i s
C o u r t t o make, t h a t t h e r e was no p o l i c e m i s c o n d u c t and t h e r e f o r e
no " t a i n t " a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e i n i t i a l con£ e s s i o n . Because t h e
i n d e p e n d e n t s o u r c e d o c t r i n e a l l o w s t h e u s e of t h e c o n f e s s i o n i n
this c a s e , w e need n o t d e t e r m i n e what d e g r e e of p o l i c e m i s -
c o n d u c t , r a n g i n g from i n t e n t i o n a l t o i n a d v e r t e n t , s e r v e s t o
t a i n t t h e e v i d e n c e , f o r p u r p o s e s of i n v o k i n g t h e p r o t e c t i o n s of
the "fruits" doctrine.
A p p e l l a n t n e x t a r g u e s t h a t t h e s e c o n d c o n f e s s i o n m u s t be
s u p p r e s s e d b e c a u s e o f t h e " c a t o u t o f t h e bag" d o c t r i n e . The
- 6 -
t r i a l j u d g e r e j e c t e d t h i s a r g u m e n t , f i n d i n g t h a t t h e r e was " a
c l e a r s h o w i n g t h e s e c o n d s t a t e m e n t was v o l u n t a r i l y made and w a s
s u f f i c i e n t l y i n s u l a t e d and d i s a s s o c i a t e d f r o m t h e f i r s t s t a t e m e n t
t o avoid any t a i n t . " W e find s u b s t a n t i a l evidence t o support
t h a t f i n d i n g and a f f i r m t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t ' s r u l i n g t h a t t h e
s e c o n d c o n f e s s i o n is a d m i s s i b l e .
J u s t i c e J a c k s o n f i r s t f o r m u l a t e d " t h e c a t o u t o f t h e bag"
d o c t r i n e i n 1 9 4 7 , i n U n i t e d S t a t e s v. B a y e r ( 1 9 4 7 ) , 3 3 1 U.S. 532,
67 S . C t . 1 3 9 4 , 9 1 L.Ed.2d 1654. I t is a p p l i e d i n cases i n which
a n i n a d m i s s i b l e c o n f e s s i o n i s o b t a i n e d , and s u b s e q u e n t l y d e f e n -
d a n t makes a f u r t h e r c o n f e s s i o n . S t a t e v. A l l i e s ( 1 9 8 0 ) ,
Mont .-
1 - 2d
P. , 37 S t . R e p . 2089, 2098. The U n i t e d
S t a t e s Supreme C o u r t e x p l a i n e d t h e d o c t r i n e :
"Of c o u r s e , a f t e r a n a c c u s e d h a s o n c e l e t t h e
c a t o u t o f t h e bag by c o n f e s s i n g , no matter what
t h e i n d u c e m e n t , he i s n e v e r t h e r e a f t e r f r e e of
t h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l and p r a c t i c a l d i s a d v a n t a g e s of
having confessed. H e can never g e t t h e c a t back
i n t h e bag. The s e c r e t i s o u t f o r good. In
s u c h a s e n s e , a l a t e r c o n f e s s i o n a l w a y s may be
l o o k e d upon as f r u i t of t h e f i r s t . But t h i s
C o u r t h a s n e v e r gone s o f a r a s to h o l d t h a t
making a c o n f e s s i o n u n d e r c i r c u m s t a n c e s which
p r e c l u d e i t s u s e , p e r p e t u a l l y d i s a b l e s t h e con-
f e s s o r f r o m making a u s e a b l e o n e a f t e r t h o s e
c o n d i t i o n s h a v e b e e n removed. "
U n i t e d S t a t e s v. B a y e r , s u p r a , 3 3 1 U.S. a t 540-541, 67 S . C t . at
T h i s C o u r t e n d o r s e d t h i s d o c t r i n e i n i t s December 3 1 ,
1 9 8 0 , o p i n i o n i n S t a t e v. A l l i e s , s u p r a , f i n d i n g i n t h a t case
that Allies' l a t e r s t a t e m e n t s were i n a d m i s s i b l e b e c a u s e t h e r e was
not a "'break i n t h e s t r e a m of e v e n t s . . . sufficient to insu-
l a t e t h e f i n a l e v e n t s from t h e e f f e c t of a l l t h a t went b e f o r e . ' "
W h e t h e r or n o t t h e " c a u s a t i v e l i n k " b e t w e e n t h e t w o c o n f e s s i o n s
h a s b e e n b r o k e n s u f f i c i e n t l y t o remove t h e t a i n t must be d e t e r -
mined on a c a s e - b y - c a s e b a s i s , and t h e b u r d e n i s on t h e S t a t e t o
show t h a t t h e s e c o n d s t a t e m e n t i s n o t t a i n t e d by t h e p r i o r i n v a -
l i d confession or statement. Allies, supra, Mont. a t I
I n making o u r f i n d i n g i n A l l i e s , w e l o o k e d a t t h e
- 7 -
circumstances surrounding each c o n f e s s i o n i n determining whether
t h e c o n d i t i o n s which s e r v e d t o i n v a l i d a t e t h e f i r s t c o n f e s s i o n
c a r r i e d o v e r t o make t h e s e c o n d o n e l i k e w i s e i n a d m i s s i b l e .
S p e c i f i c a l l y , w e c o n s i d e r e d t h e p a s s a g e of t i m e , t h e change i n
l o c a t i o n , t h e manner o f i n t e r r o g a t i o n , w h e t h e r t h e r e was r e p r e -
s e n t a t i o n by c o u n s e l , and t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s m e n t a l c o n d i t i o n .
Allies, supra, Mont. a t -1 -P.2d at , 37 S t . R e p . at
2098-2099. In A l l i e s . we found t h a t t h e c o n t i n u o u s i n c a r c e r a t i o n
and t h e f r e q u e n t p e r s i s t e n t q u e s t i o n i n g ( 4 2 t i m e s ) by A l l i e s '
g i r l f r i e n d t h r o u g h o u t t h e six-week p e r i o d mandated a f i n d i n g t h a t
t h e r e w a s an i n s u f f i c i e n t break i n t h e c a u s a t i v e c h a i n .
I n a d d i t i o n to t h e f a c t o r s we considered i n A l l i e s , we f i n d
s e v e r a l o t h e r f a c t o r s c i t e d by o t h e r j u r i s d i c t i o n s t o be r e l e v a n t
i n making a d e t e r m i n a t i o n i n t h i s case: p o l i c e conduct, oppor-
t u n i t y t o t a l k w i t h f a m i l y and f r i e n d s , and w h e t h e r t h e d e f e n d a n t
i s i n a p o s i t i o n t o b e l i e v e t h a t h i s f i r s t c o n f e s s i o n h a s made
h i s present position hopeless. Comm. v . Meehan ( 1 9 7 9 ) , Mass.
, 387 N.E.2d 5 2 7 , 5 3 7 , c e r t . d i s m i s s e d , 4 4 5 U.S. 39, 100
S.Ct. 1 0 9 2 , 6 3 L.Ed.2d 1 8 5 ; K n o t t v. Howard (1st C i r . 1 9 7 5 ) , 5 1 1
F.2d 1060, 1061.
R.P.S. f i r s t confessed i n t h e s h e r i f f ' s o f f i c e while being
q u e s t i o n e d a b o u t t h e b u r n i n g of t h e v i c t i m ' s car. Thirty-three
d a y s l a t e r , he c o n f e s s e d a g a i n , t h i s t i m e w h i l e i n c a r c e r a t e d i n
t h e Yellowstone County j a i l . The f i r s t c o n f e s s i o n was made
d u r i n g a n i n t e r r o g a t i o n by t h e S t a t e ; t h e s e c o n d came d u r i n g a
p h o n e c a l l w h i c h R.P.S. v o l u n t a r i l y made t o L.S., and a b o u t which
t h e S t a t e had no k n o w l e d g e . The s e c o n d c o n f e s s i o n w a s n o t t h e
r e s u l t o f p e r s i s t e n t q u e s t i o n i n g as i n A l l i e s ; L.S. testified
t h a t d u r i n g t h e phone c a l l , h e a s k e d R.P.S. i f h e had d o n e i t ,
a n d R.P.S. r e p l i e d , "Yeah," and t h e n g a v e d e t a i l s . Police
misconduct, i f any, a p p e a r s to have been i n a d v e r t e n t a t t h e f i r s t
c o n f e s s i o n ; p o l i c e were n o t p r e s e n t and had no k n o w l e d g e of t h e
s e c o n d c o n f e s s i o n u n t i l a month a f t e r it w a s made. R. P.S. had
a p p o i n t e d c o u n s e l p r i o r t o making t h e s e c o n d c o n f e s s i o n and had
a p p e a r e d i n c o u r t w i t h c o u n s e l i n o r d e r to g e t h i s f i r s t con-
f e s s i o n suppressed. R. P.S. was a w a r e , t h e n , a t t h e t i m e of t h e
s e c o n d c o n f e s s i o n t h a t t h e r e was a d e c i s i o n p e n d i n g which c o u l d
p u t t h e " c a t b a c k i n t h e bag." R. P.S. I s f a m i l y a p p e a r s to have
b e e n s u p p o r t i v e and came t o see him a t l e a s t 1 8 times b e t w e e n t h e
a r r e s t and t h e s e c o n d c o n f e s s i o n .
T h e s e f a c t o r s , when t a k e n a s a w h o l e , i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e r e
was a s i g n i f i c a n t b r e a k i n t h e c h a i n of e v e n t s which p u r g e d any
t a i n t from t h e s e c o n d c o n f e s s i o n . A d m i t t e d l y , R. P.S., like
A l l i e s , was i n c a r c e r a t e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e p e r i o d , b u t t h i s f a c t o r
a l o n e d o e s n o t r e q u i r e s u p p r e s s i o n of t h e s e c o n d s t a t e m e n t .
Additionally, a p p e l l a n t a r g u e s t h a t R. P.S. ' s m e n t a l c o n d i t i o n
p r e c l u d e d h i s e v e r making any a d m i s s i b l e s t a t e m e n t s c o n c e r n i n g
t h e a l l e g e d crimes, o n c e he had c o n f e s s e d . We disagree.
A t t h e h e a r i n g to s u p p r e s s t h e f i r s t c o n f e s s i o n , Dr.
T r a n e l , who had c o n d u c t e d a p s y c h i a t r i c e x a m i n a t i o n of R. P.S. ,
t e s t i f i e d t h a t R. P.S. c o u l d n o t u n d e r s t a n d t h e " a b s t r a c t terms"
c o n t a i n e d i n t h e Miranda warning. H e concluded t h e r e f o r e t h a t
R.P.S. c o u l d n o t make a knowing, v o l u n t a r y and i n t e l l i g e n t w a i v e r
of h i s r i g h t s . A f t e r c o n s i d e r i n g h i s t e s t i m o n y and o t h e r
con£ l i c t i n g t e s t i m o n y , t h e d i s t r i c t judge found t h a t " i t is
i m p o s s i b l e t o make a f a c t u a l d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t t h e y o u t h i n t h i s
c a s e made a knowing, i n t e l l i g e n t and v o l u n t a r y w a i v e r of h i s
constitutional rights ." W e a f f irmed t h a t f i n d i n g of t h e D i s t r i c t
C o u r t on t h e f i r s t a p p e a l . I n t h e M a t t e r of R.P.S., supra.
A t t h e h e a r i n g on t h e m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s t h e s e c o n d
c o n f e s s i o n , R.P.S. made no a l l e g a t i o n t h a t h e was s u f f e r i n g
f r o m a n y m e n t a l i l l n e s s on December 1 7 w h i c h would i n v a l i d a t e
h i s c o n f e s s i o n , and t h e r e was no e v i d e n c e i n t r o d u c e d w i t h r e s p e c t
t o h i s mental condition. The f i n d i n g t h a t R.P.S. was i n c a p a b l e
o f w a i v i n g h i s Miranda r i g h t s on November 1 4 was s i m p l y n o t r e l e -
v a n t t o a c o n s i d e r a t i o n of t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s of t h e December 17
c o n f e s s i o n , b e c a u s e t h e r e was no q u e s t i o n of w a i v e r i n v o l v e d i n
t h e second c o n f e s s i o n . The s e c o n d c o n f e s s i o n was made v o l u n -
t a r i l y t o a n o n p o l i c e p e r s o n , a s i t u a t i o n which d o e s n o t r e q u i r e
any u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f , n o r waiver o f , t h e Miranda r i g h t s . In
c o n t r a s t t o t h e A l l i e s s i t u a t i o n , i n which A l l i e s w a s f o u n d t o be
m e n t a l l y ill d u r i n g b o t h t i m e p e r i o d s , R.P.S. w a s found o n l y to
b e i n c a p a b l e o f w a i v i n g h i s r i g h t s i n making h i s f i r s t
confession. T h i s f a c t is i n s u f f i c i e n t t o j u s t i f y a f i n d i n g t h a t
R.P.S. was m e n t a l l y i n c a p a b l e o f making a l a t e r , v o l u n t a r y s t a t e -
m e n t t o a f r i e n d who was o u t s i d e of j a i l .
The d i s t r i c t j u d g e f o u n d t h a t t h e s e c o n d c o n f e s s i o n w a s
v o l u n t a r i l y made and s u f f i c i e n t l y d i s a s s o c i a t e d from t h e f i r s t
t o be a d m i s s i b l e . A s t h i s f i n d i n g i s s u p p o r t e d by s u b s t a n t i a l
c r e d i b l e e v i d e n c e , w e w i l l n o t d i s t u r b it.
W e a£ f i r m t h e o r d e r o f t h e Y o u t h C o u r t f i n d i n g t h e s e c o n d
c o n f e s s i o n a d m i s s i b l e and t r a n s f e r r i n g t h e case t o t h e D i s t r i c t
Court.
Chief J u s t i c e
,-7
W concur:
e