People v. Mejia-Mendoza

The People bring this interlocutory appeal to challenge the trial court’s order suppressing statements made to police by the defendant, Jose Alfredo Mejia-Mendoza. The trial court ruled that, although Mejia-Mendoza voluntarily waived his rights under Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966), he did not do so knowingly and intelligently. The basis for the suppression order was that the People failed to prove that Mejia-Mendoza understood his rights under Miranda. Applying the totality of the circumstances test, we hold that the record supports the trial court’s…