Commonwealth v. Alves

14 Mass. L. Rptr. 248
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedNovember 23, 2001
DocketNo. 0100156001005
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 14 Mass. L. Rptr. 248 (Commonwealth v. Alves) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Alves, 14 Mass. L. Rptr. 248 (Mass. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

Murphy, J.

INTRODUCTION

The defendant Nuno Alves has been indicted on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and threats to commit a crime. The defendant now moves to suppress all physical evidence and all statements made pursuant to the execution of an allegedly invalid arrest warrant and subsequent search of the defendant’s residence at 184 Perkins Avenue, Brockton, Massachusetts. The defendant further moves to suppress all statements he made to police while being questioned during the execution of the arrest warrant. For the following reasons, the defendant’s motion to suppress the physical evidence and his motion to suppress statements are ALLOWED.

FINDINGS OF FACT

This matter came before the Court for an evidentiary hearing on defendant’s motion to suppress on October 25, 2001, November 5, 2001, and November 6, 2001. At the hearing, the Court heard testimony from nine witnesses, six for the Commonwealth and three called on behalf of the defendant. From that testimony and the submissions of counsel, this Court finds the following facts.

On March 24, 2001, one Frank Avant (“Avant”) appeared in person at the Brockton Police Station to report an incident in which he was allegedly shot at by the defendant. Avant spoke with Officer Hyland and Detective Hilliard (“Det. Hilliard”). Avant stated that he was at a party at 165 Carl Avenue, Building E, Apartment 125, when he was approached and threatened by the defendant. The defendant then left the party. Avant left minutes after.

Avant stated that as he was walking between two buildings in the complex, the defendant rounded a corner and fired two shots at him. Avant indicated to the police that there were other individuals with the defendant during the shooting. Avant then observed the defendant get into a green Chrysler and speed off. Avant told the police he knew the defendant and that he owes the defendant money for unpaid drug sales. He further stated that he has recently been at the defendant’s residence and has observed numerous firearms, bullet-proof vests, and various drugs.

The defendant’s Registry information lists his vehicle as a green 1994 Chrysler Concord. A check on other reports coming into the police station around the time of the shooting revealed a call for a loud party at 165 Carl Avenue, Building E, a call for gunshots having been fired at that same location, and a call from 165 CarlAvenue, Building C, reporting a bullet having entered an apartment and lodged into a bookcase.

Upon review of the relevant information then available to the police, a decision was made by Lt. William Conlon (“Lt. Conlon”) that there was insufficient evidence to justify an application for a search warrant of the defendant’s residence. This determination was also independently made by Sgt. O’Connell when he was approached by Det. Hilliard.1 Therefore, on March 24, 2001, Officer Hyland drafted a written application for complaint, which detailed the above facts, in order to obtain an arrest warrant.

On March 26, 2001, Officer Hyland and the police prosecutor, Sergeant John Crowley (“Sgt. Crowley"), went to the Brockton District Court in order to obtain an arrest warrant for the defendant. The complaint detailed Officer’s Hyland’s report of his interview with Avant. Assistant Clerk Magistrate Walsh (“Walsh”) reviewed the application for complaint but did not administer Sgt. Crowley an oath, nor did he sign an arrest warrant.2 Walsh testified he does not recall whether he actually issued a warrant for the defendant’s arr.est. He did testify that after reviewing the application he believes he intended to issue the arrest warrant, but was unsure whether he had instead brought it to a supervisor for review. Walsh could not state with conviction whether anyone properly issued an arrest warrant because his initials were not on the application, as is his customary procedure.

In any event, Sgt. William Barry (“Sgt. Barry”) testified that prior to going to 184 Perkins Avenue in order to arrest the defendant, he entered the defendant’s name into the Warrant Management System (“WMS”) and obtained a computer printout of the electronic warrant from the Criminal Justice Information System (“CJIS”). The only electronic warrant the Commonwealth was able to present at the hearing shows that it was printed as of 11:20 on March 26, 2001, a time subsequent to the arrest of the defendant.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. on March 26, 2001, Sgt. Barry and Officer Williamson were conducting surveillance on the defendant’s residence in anticipation of executing the arrest warrant. They observed the defendant’s vehicle leave the residence. The vehicle was then pulled over for a broken tail light. The officer questioned the driver, one Marcelino Pires, the defendant’s step-father, who informed them that the [250]*250defendant was home with his mother. Marcelino Pires further stated that the other, younger, children had already left for school. A search of the vehicle revealed no criminal contraband.

At approximately, 10:30 a.m., seven officers making up the Special Reaction Team (“SRT”), along with four other officers assembled at 184 Perkins Avenue to execute the arrest warrant for the defendant. The SRT are officers dressed in black armored attire, helmets, and at least one of them has an assault rifle. One officer knocked on the door several times, announced a police presence, and when they received no answer, a battering ram was used to force entry into the home.

Immediately upon entry, the defendant’s mother was ordered to the floor and held at gunpoint. Officers Barry and Sullivan, likewise immediately upon entry, observed the defendant at the top of the cellar stairs, whereupon he was ordered to the floor at gunpoint and handcuffed. The remaining officers spread throughout the three stories of the house to secure the scene. Officer Sutherland went to the basement during this sweep of the home. He testified that while searching for other individuals who may have been armed, he looked behind the clothes dryer, where he saw a green canvas bag with the barrel of a machine gun protruding out of the partially opened zipper. Officer Sutherland then placed the bag on top of the washing machine and searched the bag for further illegal weapons.

The defendant, immediately after being forced to the floor and handcuffed, was asked by Officer Pierce where the gun was. The defendant allegedly responded that it was in the basement and that they could check. Officer Bell testified that while the defendant was later in the police cruiser, the defendant gave his consent to search his bedroom and he stated there were some drugs in there. The defendant refused to sign a waiver form at the scene or at the station.

Officer Cesarini was with the defendant’s mother after the execution of the arrest warrant in order to explain what was occurring and attempting to calm her down. The officers testified that the defendant’s mother was hysterical and crying during the execution of the arrest warrant and was unable to speak with the police for a few minutes. Nevertheless, Officer Cesarini testified that he informed the defendant’s mother that the officers had already found guns in the basement, and they had reason to believe there were drugs in the house, whereupon, according to Officer Cesarini, the defendant’s mother gave her consent to remove anything they had found and that she did not want it in her house.

The defendant’s mother signed a consent form given to her by the police.

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18 Mass. L. Rptr. 491 (Massachusetts Superior Court, 2004)

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Bluebook (online)
14 Mass. L. Rptr. 248, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-alves-masssuperct-2001.