TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1998
State of Florida vs Mompoint Voltaire

No. 92,352

Place of Origin
Broward County

Facts
Voltaire, a Creole speaker, was arrested on cocaine charges. When questioned by police, Voltaire refused to speak to them in English, using Creole instead. Officers put Voltaire into a holding cell and summoned a police officer who spoke Creole. This officer (dressed in a tee-shirt, shorts, and sneakers) was placed in the cell with Voltaire. The officer did not disclose he worked for police and proceeded to ask Voltaire why he was in jail. Voltaire confessed to the crime, but later asked the trial court to suppress the confession because of police trickery. The trial court allowed the confession. The Fourth District reversed.