State v. Beckley

The State brings this interlocutory appeal from an order of the Bennington District Court suppressing the confession of the defendant-appellee, Paul M. Beckley, to a number of burglaries. The question certified for our review is as follows:

On a totality of the circumstances did the trial court’s determination that among other things the interrogating officer’s promise to inform the State’s Attorney about the defendant’s cooperation rendered the defendant’s subsequent confession involuntary?

We answer the question in the negative with respect to the oral confession given by defendant, but…