The Supreme Court of Ohio has upheld the juvenile murder disposition of a 15-year-old Cleveland boy, identified as T.D.S., for the 2019 shooting death of a 14-year-old boy, S.G. The court ruled in a narrow 4-3 decision that the juvenile court appropriately admitted statements made by T.D.S. and determined that police did not coerce his confession.
Justice Joseph T. Deters, writing for the majority, stated that the juvenile court correctly concluded that T.D.S. "knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily" waived his Miranda rights and was not coerced by police officers. He noted, "The totality of the circumstances shows that his waiver was knowing, intelligent, and voluntary." Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy and Justices Patrick F. Fischer and R. Patrick DeWine supported this opinion.
In dissenting opinions, Justices Michael P. Donnelly and Jennifer Brunner expressed concerns about the police interrogation tactics used on T.D.S., who has an IQ of 60. Justice Donnelly believed the case should have been dismissed due to procedural missteps by T.D.S.'s defense team in raising arguments before the Supreme Court. Justice Brunner argued that T.D.S.'s confession was coerced through repeated lies and threats from police officers.
The case began in September 2019 when Cleveland police found S.G., who later died from gunshot wounds at an apartment building. Based on information from a high school principal, detectives visited T.D.S.'s home where he eventually confessed to accidentally shooting S.G.
During questioning captured on body-worn cameras, T.D.S., after initially denying involvement, asked to speak with detectives without his mother present before confessing to shooting S.G. A detective read him his Miranda rights afterward.
T.D.S.'s legal representation sought to suppress all statements made during interrogation; however, only those given before receiving Miranda warnings were suppressed by the juvenile court.
The Supreme Court's analysis centered around whether T.D.S.’s waiver of Miranda rights was valid under "the totality of the circumstances." Justice Deters explained that despite claims regarding his low IQ, evidence suggested he understood his rights based on prior experience with the juvenile system.
In contrast, Justice Brunner criticized what she described as "psychologically coercive" interrogation tactics lasting over an hour before Miranda warnings were issued: “T.D.S. then was led to confess twice more without receiving renewed warnings," she wrote.
Ultimately charged with murder among other offenses carrying serious-youthful-offender specifications—TDS received both adult prison sentence (stayed conditionally) & commitment till age twenty-one within youth services facility following adjudication delinquent for felony murder plus additional charges including firearm specification resulting three-year consecutive term atop fifteen years-to-life penalty upon unsuccessful completion juvenile sentence terms otherwise satisfied beforehand through appeal process Eighth District Court Appeals affirmed lower trial decisions subsequently appealed Ohio’s highest judicial authority agreeing hear case thereafter rendered current verdict now available public viewing alongside full text related opinions online resources accessible interested parties seeking further insights concerning matter adjudicated herein referenced above cited docket number slip opinion format contextually provided accordingly respectively noted conclusion thereof ultimately resolved thereby finally addressed conclusively determined forthwith