Case summaries for Feb. 26 – Mar. 5, 2021
Criminal Law Update
Waiver Was Knowing, Intelligent, and Voluntary
To understand Miranda rights does not require understanding all possible consequences waiving those rights, and testimony supported a finding of such waiver, though defendant was unintelligible in audio recording. Intoxication does not necessarily negate waiver, and no evidence showed that defendant was intoxicated when making the waiver, or that such intoxication was involuntary. Even without such waiver, other evidence of guilt was overwhelming.
State of Missouri, Respondent, v. Joshua Watkins, Appellant.
Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District – ED108566