Commonwealth v. Benner

29 Pa. D. & C.4th 332, 1995 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 51
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Centre County
DecidedAugust 25, 1995
Docketno. 1995-600
StatusPublished

This text of 29 Pa. D. & C.4th 332 (Commonwealth v. Benner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Centre County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Benner, 29 Pa. D. & C.4th 332, 1995 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 51 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1995).

Opinion

BROWN, P.J.,

Presently before this court for consideration is a motion to suppress filed by defendant Charles Benner. Oral argument on this matter was heard on July 24, 1995. Briefs by the parties were filed.

There are two issues for this court to decide. First, whether the tape recordings of defendant’s private in-home conversations on November 17 and 20, 1994, violated Article I, Section 8, of the Pennsylvania Constitution and/or 18 Pa.C.S. §5721(B) of the Pennsylvania Wiretap Act. Should this court decide there has been a violation of either the Pennsylvania Constitution or the Wiretap Act, then the issue becomes whether the seizure of 42 marijuana plants and other marijuana paraphernalia were derived from that illegality.

The following facts of the case sub judice are not in dispute. On November 17, 1994, the police sent confidential informant Tammy Lack to defendant’s residence to obtain incriminating evidence relating to the trafficking of a controlled substance. Lack, wearing a consensual body wire, entered defendant’s residence at 254 South Atherton Street, State College, Centre County. The conversation that followed included Lack’s gathering of current information about a prior marijuana transaction, a future marijuana transaction and incriminating statements from defendant about a marijuana grow operation. The entire conversation was monitored by police officers. While Deputy Attorney General Mi[335]*335chael Madeira authorized the interception, no prior judicial approval was obtained for the use of the body wire. Lack was debriefed about her observations.

On November 20, 1994, the police again sent Lack to defendant’s residence. Lack was again wearing a consensual body wire when she entered defendant’s residence. This time, the parties completed the sale of four ounces of marijuana, which the parties had negotiated on November 17, 1994. Lack observed several items which are traditionally associated with narcotics transactions, such as “baggies” of weighed marijuana, unweighed marijuana, weighing scales and growing marijuana plants. Finally, Lack gathered information about (1) the occupant known as “David” and (2) future shipments of marijuana defendant would be receiving. Again, the police monitored the entire conversation. No search warrant was obtained to enter defendant’s home. Lack was debriefed by police officers about her observations.

On December 5, 1994, at 5:30 p.m., Detective Kevin Barr entered defendant’s residence with confidential informant Michelle Bankler. Unlike Lack, Bankler resided at the same address as defendant. It is unclear as to how, when or why Bankler was developed as a confidential informant.

Once inside defendant’s residence, Detective Ban-noticed an odor of growing marijuana. Because defendant’s bedroom door was ajar, Detective Ban was able to observe both a fluorescent light emanating from defendant’s room and a plastic jug with a plastic tube running into a metal closet.

The next day, December 6, 1994, a search wanant was properly executed at defendant’s residence. As a result, the police seized the following items:

[336]*336(1) 29 marijuana plants — closet no. 1, defendant’s room.

(2) 13 marijuana plants — closet no. 2, defendant’s room.

(3) 1 baggie of marijuana leaf — top bed, defendant’s room.

(4) 10 aluminum packages of brown-tan substance in brown glass case — black case top of bed.

(5) miscellaneous fanny pack with pipe and paraphernalia — top bed.

(6) 1 marijuana law book — top bed.

(7) 1 plexiglass bong — foot of bed.

(8) 1 marijuana stems — can, foot of bed.

(9) 2 indicia of occupancy — top desk.

(10) 1 picture frame with marijuana leaves — top shelf desk.

(11) 1 comp, book with phone list — top B desk.

(12) 1 plexiglass bong — comer bedroom.

(13) miscellaneous pipe parts/wooden box — safe.

(14) 1 hand scale — shelf desk.

(15) 1 purple bag with pipe — shelf desk.

(16) 2 boxes of baggies — safe.

(17) 8 containers of marijuana seeds — safe.

(a) Treasury bottle

“Lactose” “Sativa.”

(b) “Lactaid” “Skunk Indica.”

(c) Quaker Boy box “Thai.”

(d) Centrum bottle, small “Indica.”

(e) film container “Skunk Sativa.”

(f) Ligaplex bottle “Oaccin Giant Sativa.”

(g) “Centrum,” large “no label.”

(h) Treasury Quintrem “no label.”

(18) 6 shop lights — closet no. 1.

(19) miscellaneous ballast, cables, lights, timers— closet no. 1.

Defendant was arrested by proper police procedure after the execution of the search warrant.

[337]*337Defendant relies on Commonwealth v. Brion, 539 Pa. 256, 652 A.2d 287 (1994), as the controlling authority in this case. In Brion, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that Article I, Section 8, of the Pennsylvania Constitution precludes the police from sending a confidential informer into the home of an individual to electronically record his conversations and transmit them back to the police. It is difficult to imagine a case more squarely on point than Brion with the case presently before this court. It would, therefore, be simple to suppress the tape-recorded evidence based on Brion.

However, as the Commonwealth correctly points out, the Brion case was decided on December 30, 1994. The relevant facts at issue here took place between November 17 and 20, 1994. The Commonwealth urges this court not to apply Brion retroactively.

When considering whether or not to apply a decision retroactively, three factors are to be considered by the court. A decision regarding retroactivity is based upon (1) the purpose to be served by the new standards; (2) the extent of the reliance by law enforcement authorities on the old standards; and (3) the effect on the administration of justice. Commonwealth v. Miller, 490 Pa. 457, 417 A.2d 128 (1980), cert. denied, 499 U.S. 1113, 101 S.Ct. 924, 66 L.Ed.2d 842 (1981). However, “[t]he purpose to be served by the new rule should receive primary consideration.” Commonwealth v. McFeely, 509 Pa. 394, 399, 502 A.2d 167, 170 (1985). This court will analyze the purpose of the exclusionary rule under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution; Article I, Section 8, of the Pennsylvania Constitution, and the Brion decision.

The United States Supreme Court made clear that the primary purpose of the exclusionary rule was to “deter police conduct.” U.S. v. Leon, 468 U.S. 897, [338]*338916, 104 S.Ct. 3405, 3417, 82 L.Ed.2d 677 (1984). The exclusionary rule under the Fourth Amendment operates as “a judicially created remedy designed to safeguard Fourth Amendment rights generally through its deterrent effect, rather than a personal constitutional right of the party aggrieved.” Id. 468 U.S.

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Related

United States v. Leon
468 U.S. 897 (Supreme Court, 1984)
Commonwealth v. Miller
417 A.2d 128 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1980)
Commonwealth v. Brion
652 A.2d 287 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1994)
Commonwealth v. McFeely
502 A.2d 167 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1985)
Commonwealth v. Edmunds
586 A.2d 887 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1991)
Commonwealth v. Schaeffer
536 A.2d 354 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1987)

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Bluebook (online)
29 Pa. D. & C.4th 332, 1995 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 51, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-benner-pactcomplcentre-1995.