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People v. Bell

Michigan Court of Appeals
Dec 14, 1983
131 Mich. App. 586 (Mich. Ct. App. 1983)

Opinion

Docket No. 65299.

Decided December 14, 1983. Leave to appeal applied for.

Frank J. Kelley, Attorney General, Louis J. Caruso, Solicitor General, Jeffry R. Jurmu, Prosecuting Attorney, and Leonard J. Malinowski, Assistant Attorney General, for the people.

State Appellate Defender (by R. Steven Whalen), for defendant on appeal.

Before: M.J. KELLY, P.J., and HOOD and SHEPHERD, JJ.


On January 22, 1982, defendant was convicted of second-degree murder, MCL 750.317; MSA 28.549, and was subsequently sentenced to from 8 to 30 years imprisonment. She appeals as of right.

Right after being arrested, defendant was advised of her rights pursuant to Miranda v Arizona, 384 U.S. 436; 86 S Ct 1602; 16 L Ed 2d 694 (1966). Later, while being booked at the county jail, she asked to telephone her parents in Texas. Even though she was not advised of her Miranda rights again, at least three officers stayed during the telephone conversation and overheard what she said. Her conversation, admitting the killing to her mother, was later testified to at trial.

Defendant now argues that the admission of this evidence violated her Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment rights. We disagree on all three counts. First, to establish a Fourth Amendment violation, a defendant must have had a reasonable expectation of privacy. Katz v United States, 389 U.S. 347; 88 S Ct 507; 19 L Ed 2d 576 (1967); Jenson v Pontiac, 113 Mich. App. 341, 346; 317 N.W.2d 619 (1982). Under the circumstances, defendant had no reasonable expectation of privacy. Second, because there was no interrogation, Miranda was not violated. Rhode Island v Innis, 446 U.S. 291; 100 S Ct 1682; 64 L Ed 2d 297 (1980). Moreover, volunteered statements (such as these) do not violate Miranda. People v Hartford, 117 Mich. App. 413; 324 N.W.2d 31 (1982). Third, because defendant did not assert her right to counsel, that right was not violated. Edwards v Arizona, 451 U.S. 477; 101 S Ct 1880; 68 L Ed 2d 378 (1981); People v Paintman, 412 Mich. 518; 315 N.W.2d 418 (1982), cert den 456 U.S. 995; 102 S Ct 2280; 73 L Ed 2d 1292 (1982).

Defendant also argues that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury on intoxication as a possible defense. However, this issue has been settled by People v Langworthy, 416 Mich. 630; 331 N.W.2d 171 (1982). This Court has no power to overrule our Supreme Court.

Affirmed.


Summaries of

People v. Bell

Michigan Court of Appeals
Dec 14, 1983
131 Mich. App. 586 (Mich. Ct. App. 1983)
Case details for

People v. Bell

Case Details

Full title:PEOPLE v BELL

Court:Michigan Court of Appeals

Date published: Dec 14, 1983

Citations

131 Mich. App. 586 (Mich. Ct. App. 1983)
345 N.W.2d 652

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