U.S. v. Hines, 77-2556

Decision Date06 September 1979
Docket NumberNo. 77-2556,77-2556
Citation605 F.2d 132
PartiesUNITED STATES of America, Appellee, v. Finnie Duarant HINES, Appellant.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — Fourth Circuit

Marc D. Stern, New York City, for appellant.

Robert A. Rohrbaugh, Asst. U. S. Atty. (Russell T. Baker, Jr., U. S. Atty., Baltimore, Md., on brief), for appellee.

Before WINTER, BUTZNER and PHILLIPS, Circuit Judges.

BUTZNER, Circuit Judge:

Finnie Duarant Hines appeals his conviction on six counts of distributing counterfeit currency in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2, 371, and 473. The sole issue is whether the district court erred when it allowed a government agent to repeat a statement that Hines had made after refusing to sign a waiver of his fifth and sixth amendment rights. We conclude that Hines effectively asserted his constitutional rights, but that subsequently he waived those rights when he made the challenged statement. We therefore affirm the judgment of the district court.

Hines obtained approximately $44,000 counterfeit currency in New York from a man identified only as "Lenny." Hines in turn entered into an agreement with Tyrone Washington and Odell Dye to dispose of the currency in Washington, D.C., and to pay Hines out of the proceeds.

Washington and Dye were arrested when they sold the counterfeit bills to an undercover agent of the United States Secret Service. Washington subsequently agreed to cooperate with the Secret Service in an effort to determine the original source of the counterfeit money. As a part of this plan, Washington induced Hines to fly to National Airport, ostensibly to receive the payment he had been promised and to discuss future purchases. The Secret Service arrested Hines in the airport following his meeting with Washington.

Immediately upon arrest, the agents informed Hines of his rights pursuant to Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966). During the trip to the Washington field office of the Secret Service, the agents again advised Hines of all Miranda rights. When they arrived at the field office, an agent read to Hines a form titled "Warning and Consent to Speak." In addition to the Miranda rights, that form contains a declaration, intended for the accused's signature, reading as follows: "I have read this statement of my rights and it has been read to me, and I understand what my rights are." The form provides a separate space in which the accused may also sign his name to the following declaration:

WAIVER

I do not want a lawyer at this time. I understand and know what I am doing. No promises or threats have been made to me and no pressure or force of any kind has been used against me. I hereby voluntarily and intentionally waive my rights and I am willing to make a statement and answer questions.

Hines also read the form, said that he understood his rights fully, but refused to sign either of the declarations on the form. He said that he would prefer not to sign until he had contacted an attorney.

Soon afterwards, Hines asked the Secret Service agents to contact an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation named McMakintosh. The agents attempted to contact McMakintosh, but he was not available. Hines told the agents that McMakintosh had asked him to find out what he knew about any criminal activity. In response to this remark one of the agents inquired whether the FBI had instructed him to obtain and sell counterfeit currency. Hines said, "No." Then, without further questioning by the agents, he went on to explain that he had obtained $44,000 in counterfeit currency from Lenny in return for a promise to pay $15,000 in genuine currency. He also stated that he had given the counterfeit currency to Washington and Dye in return for their promise to pay $15,000.

At trial, overruling Hines' objection, the court permitted the agent to testify about his statement. Hines did not contest the facts contained in his statement. Instead, he claimed that he had lacked the necessary specific intent to violate the law because he had honestly and in good faith believed that he was working to secure information on counterfeiting for...

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6 cases
  • Poyner v. Murray, s. 91-4001
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Fourth Circuit
    • May 8, 1992
    ...statement was even more indicative of a desire to resume discussion with the detectives than was Bradshaw's. 4 Cf. United States v. Hines, 605 F.2d 132 (4th Cir.1979), cert. denied, 444 U.S. 1046, 100 S.Ct. 735, 62 L.Ed.2d 733 (1980) (volunteered statements not inadmissible under Miranda or......
  • U.S. v. Clements, 82-5238
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Fourth Circuit
    • July 28, 1983
    ...aff'd, 447 U.S. 264, 100 S.Ct. 2183, 65 L.Ed.2d 115 (1980).6 This holding does not conflict with our decision in United States v. Hines, 605 F.2d 132 (4th Cir.1979), cert. denied, 444 U.S. 1046, 100 S.Ct. 735, 62 L.Ed.2d 733 (1980). The inculpatory statement at issue in Hines was made after......
  • Williams v. State, 6 Div. 48
    • United States
    • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals
    • July 29, 1980
    ...351 So.2d 659, 664 (Ala.Cr.App.), cert. denied, Ex parte Sullivan, 351 So.2d 665 (Ala.1977). The statements in United States v. Hines, 605 F.2d 132, 134 (4th Cir. 1979), are applicable to this "A defendant who has been fully informed of his rights, who understands those rights, and who neve......
  • U.S. v. Velasquez
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Third Circuit
    • May 22, 1980
    ...waiver under Butler. Accord, United States v. Stark, 609 F.2d 271, 272-73 (6th Cir. 1979) (per curiam). See United States v. Hines, 605 F.2d 132, 133-34 (4th Cir. 1979). Accordingly, the district court did not err in not suppressing the statements Pauline made to the arresting The judgment ......
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