Criminal Law: Sufficiency of Evidence of Deliberation-Suppression of Confession

Defendant appealed his bench trial conviction for murder and weapons offenses. Defendant argued that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress his confession. Defendant further contended that the evidence was insufficient to prove that defendant deliberated before killing the victim.

Although defendant claimed to have been under the influence of drugs when giving his confession, that confession was not involuntary in the absence of police coercion, and evidence of a motive for defendant to kill the victim was relevant to support finding deliberation in conjunction with the events that occurred during and following the shooting.

Judgment is affirmed.

State v. Nugent (MLW No. 79784/Case No. SD37396 – 6 pages) (Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District, Burrell, J.) Appealed from circuit court, Texas County, Hickle, J.