A Missouri appellate court refused to set aside the conviction of murderer, sentenced to life without parole, who claimed that his confession was not voluntary, but coerced by the police.
A part of the opinion contains a transcript of a phone conversation between the accused suspect, after he had been arrested, and his wife, who thought the lawyer’s advice wasn’t worth the money they paid:
[Defendant]: I told them, I said, I want to cooperate and say everything I think I
know, you know, but this lawyer told me not to say anything ….
[Wife]: Listen to me, please listen to me. … I feel as though that $100 that was spent
today on [attorney] was nothing but a big waste of money.
[Defendant]: Right.
…
[Defendant]: Listen, honey, listen, I just wanted to make sure you are home safe, OK?
I was so worried about that, you know? Linda I am so sorry. … Did you [ever]
get ahold of that lawyer?
[Wife]: No, Todd, look. … This sh*t’s all over the news. …
[Defendant]: Is my name on the news?
[Wife]: I’m gonna assume so because people [are] blowing my phone up.
…
[Defendant]: Listen, Linda. I told that cop I want to cooperate and say everything I
think I know, you know, but I –
[Wife]: Todd, listen to me please.
[Defendant]: Yes.
[Wife]: I beg you, with everything that is within me, I love you, please find a nice
person there and just try to explain things, please.
[Defendant]: Is that what you think I need to do?
[Wife]: Yes, Todd. Please, let’s get this nightmare behind us, please.
[Defendant]: That detective told me I could talk to him and call him anytime if I
wanted to talk.
Todd gave the detective a detailed account of the murder and disposition of the body. The trial court refused the defense attorney’s motion to suppress the confession. The transcript of the call suggests that the confession was voluntary.
Ozarks Law & Economy 