2008-M-079         State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Hector Manuel Medrano, Appellant.

A Miranda warning indicating that the defendant had the right to an attorney but would not likely be able to obtain an attorney until the next day was constitutionally sufficient because the warning did not link the defendant’s right to an attorney to some future time after interrogation.

On April 17, 2005, Hector Manuel Medrano confessed to the murder of Jose Gallegos.  After a full trial on the merits, a Dodge County jury found Medrano guilty of first-degree premeditated murder (first-degree felony murder) and second-degree intentional murder.  The Dodge County District Court convicted Medrano of first-degree premeditated murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment.  Medrano now appeals, arguing that the admission of his confession at trial was prejudicial error that entitles him to a new trial.  We affirm.

Paul Anderson  Page, Meyer, Barry Anderson, Gildea, and Dietzen)

            Took no part:  Magnuson

[MURDER}