IMPORIANT NOTICE THIS OPINION IS DESIGNA TED "NOT TO BE PUBLISHED. " PURSUANT TO THE RULES OF CIVIL PRO CED URE PROMUL GA TED B Y THE SUPREME COURT, CR 76.28 (4) (c), THIS OPINION IS NOT TO BE PUBLISHED AND SHALL NOT BE CITED OR USED AS A UTHORITY IN ANY OTHER
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IMPORIANT NOTICE
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED OPINION
THIS OPINION IS DESIGNA TED "NOT TO BE
PUBLISHED. " PURSUANT TO THE RULES OF
CIVIL PROCED URE PROMULGA TED B Y THE
SUPREME COURT, CR 76.28 (4) (c), THIS OPINION
IS NOT TO BE PUBLISHED AND SHALL NOT BE
CITED OR USED AS A UTHORITY INANY OTHER
CASE INANY COUR T OF THIS STA TE.
RENDERED : AUGUST 25 2005
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED
,suprzmE Courf of
2004-SC-0312-MR
LARRY D . BRUNER
v.
APPELLANT
APPEAL FROM JEFFERSON CIRCUIT COURT
HONORABLE JUDITH E. MCDONALD-BURKMAN, JUDGE
2002-CR-2885
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
APPELLEE
MEMORANDUM OPINION OF THE COURT
Affirmin
A jury of the Jefferson Circuit Court convicted Appellant, Larry D. Bruner, of two
counts of sodomy in the first degree and two counts of sexual abuse in the first degree
in connection with the sexual molestation of a nine-year-old child.
For these crimes,
Appellant was sentenced to life imprisonment. Appellant now appeals to this Court as a
matter of right. Ky. Const. § 110(2)(b) . We affirm Appellant's convictions .
The Commonwealth presented evidence that Appellant molested the child on at
least two occasions while babysitting her. The child's mother testified that she did not
discover the abuse until some time later when the child spontaneously began crying
upon overhearing a discussion of sexual abuse involving another family member. The
child testified at trial regarding the instances of sexual abuse. Taped statements of the
Appellant were also admitted at trial wherein he admitted to the sexual acts, but insisted
that the acts were initiated by the child .
Appellant's sole argument on appeal is that he should have been warned that
the voluntary statements he made to police during the investigation could be used
against him in a subsequent criminal prosecution .
He contends that Ky. Const. §2
requires police to provide such a warning to all suspects regardless of whether they are
in custody at the time the statement is given. Appellant initially concedes that the issue
was not presented before the trial court, and accordingly, pleads the issue as palpable
error under Kentucky Criminal Procedure Rule 10 .26.
We consider such errors only
when they affect the substantial rights of a party and only where manifest injustice has
resulted from the error. Lickliter v. Commonwealth , 142 S.W.3d 65, 70 (Ky. 2004) . We
find no such substantial right or manifest injustice in this case .
Ky. Const . §2 reads as follows, "Absolute and arbitrary power over the lives,
liberty and property of freemen exists nowhere in a republic, not even in the largest
majority ." This section has been interpreted to prohibit the arbitrary exercise of power
by state government. Kentucky Milk Marketing and Antimonopoly Com'n v. Kroger Co.,
691 S .W.2d 893, 899 (Ky. 1985) .
Appellant concedes that his statements were
knowingly and voluntarily given and that he was not in custody at the time his
statements were taken .
He further concedes that he had no right to any type of
warnings under the United States Constitution or under any of this Court's precedents at
the time his statements were taken . He argues, rather, that a brand new prophylactic
rule should be gleaned from Ky. Const. §2 in order to ensure that all suspects giving
taped or recorded statements in Kentucky are warned against self-incrimination even
prior to being taken into custody .
Appellant offers absolutely no support for this
contention in any of our previous case law, nor does he explain how the failure to warn
a suspect that his voluntary statements may be used against him can be deemed an
arbitrary exercise of power.
Accordingly, we dismiss Appellant's argument as being
completely without merit .
The judgment of the Jefferson Circuit Court is affirmed .
All concur.
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT
Daniel T. Goyette
J . David Niehaus
200 Advocacy Plaza
719 W. Jefferson Street
Louisville, KY 40202
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEE
Gregory D . Stumbo
Attorney General
Perry T. Ryan
Assistant Attorney General
Office of Attorney General
Criminal Appellate Division
1024 Capital Center Drive
Frankfort, KY 40601
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