STATE OF LOUISIANA v. JOHN AKA JAMES ELLIOT THOMPSON JODI LYNN KADAK AND CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL HOLLOWELL (2025)

Writ application denied.

JBM

JLW

WJC

CRC

Supreme Court of Louisiana October 01, 2025

While the police may lie to obtain a confession (“your partner told us you were the trigger man”), in this case the subterfuge used by police after defendant invoked his right to counsel violates Miranda. Defendant clearly invoked his right to counsel. By repeatedly referencing the audio recorder and then making a show of removing it before sending in the girlfriend “kind of hoping” defendant would say something incriminating, law enforcement violated the law. It is one thing to lie to a suspect, it is another to circumvent the law. The ruling of the trial court is correct and should be reinstated.

Hughes, J., would grant and assigns reasons. Griffin, J., would grant. Guidry, J., would grant.