People v. Davis

Citations

• 2018 COA 113
• 429 P.3d 82

Syllabus

When Davis was 17 years old, he and McGrath robbed the victim, McGrath's former coworker. The victim was transporting money to a bank from the restaurant at which he and McGrath had worked. In the course of the robbery, the victim was shot and killed. Davis was convicted of first degree murder after deliberation, felony murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated motor vehicle theft, conspiracy to commit first degree murder, and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery. As required by statute, the trial court sentenced him to life in the custody of the Department of Corrections with the possibility of parole after 40 years (LWPP-40) on the murder after deliberation count. Additionally, the trial court imposed a consecutive sentence of eight years and one day on the aggravated robbery count. The sentences imposed for the remaining counts were ordered to run concurrently with the sentences to life plus eight years and a day. The felony murder conviction was merged with the conviction for murder after deliberation. Davis filed two Crim. P. 35(c) motions, which the district court denied in a series of orders. On appeal, Davis contended that the trial court violated his constitutional rights when it denied his motion to suppress statements he made during police interrogation, arguing that the Denver detective violated his right to counsel by continuing an interrogation after he asked for an attorney. Davis' statements were admissible because although Davis had previously asked for an attorney, he had voluntarily reinitiated the interrogation by asking the Denver detective whether McGrath had been arrested. Even assuming that the trial court erred in denying the motion, any error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt in light of the relative insignificance of the statements to the People's case and the substantial evidence of guilt. Davis also argued that reversal is required because he never executed an on-the-record waiver of his right to testify. Where the trial court's on-