Roell v. State
| Decision Date | 10 August 1982 |
| Docket Number | No. 1080S394,1080S394 |
| Citation | 438 N.E.2d 298 |
| Parties | Francis Joseph ROELL, Appellant, v. STATE of Indiana, Appellee. |
| Court | Indiana Supreme Court |
Michael Riley, Rensselaer, for appellant.
Linley E. Pearson, Atty. Gen., Steven J. Cuthbert, Deputy Atty. Gen., Indianapolis, for appellee.
Defendant-appellant, Francis Joseph Roell, was convicted of Murder, Ind.Code Sec. 35-42-1-1 (Burns Repl.1979), at the conclusion of a jury trial in Marion Superior Court on March 28, 1980. Appellant Roell was sentenced to sixty (60) years imprisonment at the sentencing hearing on April 24, 1980. He now appeals.
Appellant raises two issues on appeal, concerning: 1) whether the trial court erred in refusing to suppress appellant's confession; and 2) whether there was sufficient evidence to convict appellant of Murder.
The evidence most favorable to the State reveals that around midnight on September 23, 1980, the decedent, James Floyd, and the appellant, driving separate cars, approached each other at the intersection of Sherman Drive and Prospect Street in Indianapolis, Indiana. Floyd was irritated because the appellant did not dim his lights when approaching the intersection, and when they met at the intersection, Floyd made some remark about the bright lights to appellant. Appellant reached under his seat and pulled out a sawed-off shotgun and shot Floyd in the head. Floyd died from the resultant wounds.
Prior to trial, appellant filed a motion to suppress the videotaped statement given by him to the police. Appellant contends that the State had not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that his statement was voluntary. He claims that the statement was given without the presence of counsel and that he was induced to cooperate and give a statement because his girl friend and her mother were in the station, under arrest, and would be released once he made a statement. Appellant further claims that the police attempted to tell him he would be charged with manslaughter, rather than murder, to encourage him to plead guilty.
The admissibility of a confession is to be determined from the totality of the circumstances. On appeal, we review the question of such admissibility as we do other sufficiency matters. That is, we determine only whether there was substantial probative evidence to support the trial court's findings. In making this determination, we do not reweigh the evidence nor judge the credibility of witnesses. Lonson v. State, (1980) Ind., 406 N.E.2d 256, 259; Ray v. State, (1979) Ind., 396 N.E.2d 373, 375. We also look to the surrounding circumstances in order to determine whether there was improper influence, such as violence, threats, or promises, used to secure a statement from appellant, Grey v. State, (1980) Ind., 404 N.E.2d 1348, 1351; Nacoff v. State, (1971) 256 Ind. 97, 101, 267 N.E.2d 165, 167, and the State bears the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the statement was voluntarily made. Grey, supra; Magley v. State, (1975) 263 Ind. 618, 627, 335 N.E.2d 811, 817.
Sergeant Hruban testified at the suppression hearing that he advised Roell of his rights three times prior to the taping of the confession. Among these rights were appellant's right to counsel and the right to stop the questioning at any time. Appellant said in the videotaped statement that he understood all of his rights and voluntarily waived them. He also said that no threats or promises were used to induce him to make a statement. Appellant's confession also reveals that he was not under the influence of any drugs, although at the suppression hearing he stated he had taken PCP prior to the confession and that this had made him mellow. However, the police testified that he was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs and that he did not appear to be disoriented but understood what they were talking to him about and appeared to have control of himself as he talked.
Appellant also stated during the hearing that he requested an attorney before confessing to the crime. This is not substantiated anywhere in the record except for his allegation at the hearing. The police officers were never directly asked whether appellant requested an attorney but they testified that they, on more than one occasion, advised him that he had the right to the presence of counsel and he did not have to continue the questioning without the counsel. Appellant said he understood all of his rights but wished to go on and tell them about the incident.
Finally, appellant asked the...
To continue reading
Request your trial
-
Andrews v. State
...points to the testimony of examining physicians who stated that he suffered from schizophrenia. As we stated recently in Roell v. State, (1982) Ind., 438 N.E.2d 298, 300: "Whether or not the appellant had the requisite mental state to commit murder was within the province of the fact-findin......
-
Armour v. State
...may be used against him at his trial, the effect generally is to render admissible any confession made by him thereafter. Roell v. State (1982), Ind., 438 N.E.2d 298. Since the advisements of rights were in accordance with the Miranda requirements, the issue remains whether appellant intell......
-
Alfaro v. State
...acted upon provocation, in a heat of passion, or acted with a deliberate intent to kill is a question for the jury. Roell v. State (1982), Ind., 438 N.E.2d 298; Hulen v. State (1980), 274 Ind. 695, 413 N.E.2d 907. The intent to kill may be inferred from the use of a deadly weapon in a manne......
-
Warner v. State
...an attorney is his own testimony. We have upheld trial court admissibility determinations under similar circumstances. Roell v. State (1982), Ind., 438 N.E.2d 298 (sufficient evidence of voluntariness where appellant claimed he requested counsel before giving statement, but there was no sub......