J.D., A JUVENILE, APPELLANT,
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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The Third District Court of Appeal reversed a juvenile's adjudication for opposing/obstructing a police officer without violence because the trial court admitted an improper comment on the appellant's post-arrest silence, and the harmless error test could not be satisfied on the record.
The court held that the trial court improperly admitted the comment on the appellant's post-arrest silence by not ruling on the objection, and that under the harmless error test, the State failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the error did not contribute to the guilty verdict, thereby requiring reversal.
[1] A comment on a defendant's post-arrest silence violates the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.
[2] In Florida, the harmless error test applies to comments on a defendant's post-arrest silence, requiring the State to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the error did no…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the error of which appellant complains did not contribute to the guilty verdict”
Establishes the harmless error standard for post-arrest silence comments in Florida
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligencePolice officers chased a speeding vehicle and lost sight of the driver during a foot chase lasting about one minute. The officers then apprehended the…
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LEVY, Judge.
The respondent juvenile below appeals his adjudication of delinquency based upon a finding that he opposed or obstructed a police officer without violence. We reverse.
Two police ’ officers gave chase to a speeding car containing two young males. When the car pulled into a dead-end street and its occupants attempted to flee, the officers chased the driver but lost sight of him for about one minute, after which time the officers saw the appellant walking casually between two houses, and, believing him to be the driver whom they had been chasing, apprehended and arrested him, and read him his Miranda rights.
On direct examination, the prosecutor asked one of the arresting officers "[wjhat did you do, after you apprehended the [appellant]?” The officer responded “I read him his rights, and asked him to give a statement, he refused.” Defense counsel thereupon objected on the ground that this amounted to a comment upon appellant’s post-arrest silence, and, simultaneously, moved for a mistrial. The court denied the motion for mistrial, but did not offer a separate ruling as to the objection. Considering the totality of the circumstances surrounding the offending comment and defense counsel’s response to it, we hold that the court’s actions amount to a tacit overruling of defense counsel’s objection, thereby admitting the offending comment into evidence. Accordingly, it follows that the trial judge, sitting as the trier-of-fact, considered the offending comment, along with the other evidence presented during the trial, in reaching the judgment rendered in this case. Appellant was ultimately found guilty of the above-mentioned charge and adjudicated delinquent. This appeal followed.
The privilege against self-incrimination contained in the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution has been extended to juvenile proceedings in both Federal Courts, see In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1, 87 S.Ct. 1428, 18 L.Ed.2d 527 (1967), and in State Courts, such as Florida, see State v. Boatman, 329 So. 2d 309 (Fla.1976); see generally Fla.Stat. § 39.09(l)(b)(3); Fla.R. Juv.P. 8.190(d). Florida has adopted the harmless error test when examining comments upon a defendant’s post-arrest silence, State v. DiGuilio, 491 So. 2d 1129 (Fla.1986), and, accordingly, under this test, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the error of which appellant complains did not contribute to the guilty verdict. DiGuilio, 491 So. 2d at 1135.
An objective view of the record reflects a factual argument that can be made in support of the appellant’s innocence. In addition to the identification questions that arise from the fact that the police officers temporarily lost sight of the appellant during the foot chase, the record is devoid of any indication that the appellant was out of breath when ultimately apprehended by the officers.
We understand the State’s position to be that, inasmuch as the trial which we review .here was a non-jury trial, the trial judge certainly knew to disregard the comment and, accordingly, we can rest assured that he has done so. The standard which the State urges would, then, be nothing more than one which requires this court’s subjective interpretation of what the trial judge did or did not consider, inasmuch as the record presented for review is silent on this point. We respectfully decline the State’s invitation, and prefer, as indicated above, instead to hold to an objective interpretation of the evidence presented in the record on review. When the record is examined in this light, two facts are clear: first, the quoted comment was, in fact, made; and, second, this court cannot find beyond a reasonable doubt from the record, as DiGuilio requires, that the error complained of did not contribute to the adjudication of delinquency. Accordingly, the adjudication must be reversed and the matter remanded for a new trial.
Reversed.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
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Petion v. State, 48 So. 3d 726 (Fla. 2010)…. Either presumption may be rebutted by sufficient contrary statements or findings by the trial judge subsequent to the ruling on admissibility. I agree with Justice Pariente that the decision of the Third District Court of Appeal in J.D. v. State, 553 So. 2d 1317 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989), should not be disapproved. Based on its determination that the trial court “admitt[ed] the offending comment into evidence” — a determination on which I express no view — the Third District correctly rejected the State’s argument…1 / 2
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C.W. v. State, 793 So. 2d 74 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001)…ngs only upon certain evidence and that he disregarded the challenged evidence, the error, if any, in the admission of such evidence could have been determined harmless.”); Capitoli v. State, 175 So. 2d 210 (Fla. 2d DCA 1965). Compare J.D. v. State, 553 So. 2d 1317 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989). In the instant case, there is no suggestion from the record that the judge relied on the affidavit in any way. Further, the trial judge stated that his decision would be based solely on the evidence presented. C.W.’s assertion…
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T.E. v. State, 643 So. 2d 122 (Fla. 3d DCA 1994)…comment on T.E.’s right to remain silent where the comment violated his privilege against self-incrimination. See Griffin v. California, 380 U.S. 609, 85 S.Ct. 1229, 14 L.Ed.2d 106 (1965); State v. Boatman, 329 So. 2d 309 (Fla.1976); J.D. v. State, 553 So. 2d 1317 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989). The trier-of-fact’s consideration of the improper comment on silence is reversible error unless the state proves beyond a reasonable doubt that this constitutional error did not contribute to the finding of guilt. State v. DiGuil…
Previewing 3 of 5 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- State v. DiGUILIO, 491 So. 2d 1129 (Fla. 1986)
- In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1 (U.S. 1967)
- State v. Gaylon E. Boatman, 329 So. 2d 309 (Fla. 1976)