State v. Buenaventura

TERNUS, Justice.

Appellant, John Buenaventura, a Philippine citizen, was not advised of his right to contact his consulate prior to the police questioning him regarding the beating death of his sister-in-law. In his later prosecution for first-degree murder, the trial court overruled Buenaventura’s motion to suppress statements he made during the police interrogation, rejecting a claim that Buenaventura’s rights under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations were violated. The court also refused to allow witnesses to testify as to incidents of vandalism and harassment suffered…