Commonwealth v. Mascolo

375 N.E.2d 17, 6 Mass. App. Ct. 266, 1978 Mass. App. LEXIS 580
CourtMassachusetts Appeals Court
DecidedApril 25, 1978
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 375 N.E.2d 17 (Commonwealth v. Mascolo) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Appeals Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Commonwealth v. Mascolo, 375 N.E.2d 17, 6 Mass. App. Ct. 266, 1978 Mass. App. LEXIS 580 (Mass. Ct. App. 1978).

Opinion

Keville, J.

This is an appeal by Anthony C. Mascolo (Mascolo) and the United American Theatre Corporation (corporation), from convictions under G. L. c. 272, § 29, for possession of an obscene motion picture film with intent to disseminate. The defendants were found guilty in the Municipal Court of the City of Boston. Mascolo was fined $2,500 and the corporation $2,500. The defendants appealed to the Superior Court for a trial de novo where they were found guilty by a jury. Mascolo was sentenced to one year in a house of correction and the corporation was fined $5,000. The defendants have appealed under G. L. c. 278, §§ 33A-33G. The jury could have found the following:

On March 29, 1976, two police detectives viewed the allegedly obscene film at the Pussycat Cinema. They paid the required admission fee at the box office to the defendant Mascolo. One of the detectives took notes throughout the movie. During the movie one of the. detectives noticed Mascolo walk down an aisle to the front of the theatre to adjust a thermostat. Following their viewing of the entire film, which lasted for approximately eighty minutes, *269 they prepared an affidavit in support of a request for a warrant. The affidavit included a statement which depicted each scene of the film in detail.

The warrant was issued; and on March 30 the detectives returned to the theatre where the same film was being exhibited. While in the presence of his attorney, Mascolo stated, "I am the entire business. I am the sole corporater [sic]. It is a one man business.” The detectives seized the film and certain business records. Mascolo signed a receipt for the items seized as "manager and owner.” The detectives obtained additional business records from public files and through a subpoena duces tecum. The sole witness at trial was the detective who had taken notes during the movie and had executed the affidavit in support of the warrant. The film was exhibited to the jurors. Further facts will be stated as necessary in the discussion of the issues.

Contrary to the defendants’ assertion, there was no error in the denial of motions to suppress certain evidence seized pursuant to the warrant which issued without the issuing magistrate’s having viewed the film. In support of their contention the defendants assert that the warrant issued without an independent determination by the issuing official, without probable cause, and that the scope of the warrant was so sweeping as to constitute a "general warrant.” It has been concluded in several decisions that there is no requirement that a magistrate view an allegedly obscene film prior to the issuance of a warrant for its seizure. United States v. Sherpix, Inc., 512 F.2d 1361, 1368-1369 (D.C. Cir. 1975). United States v. Marks, 520 F.2d 913, 917 (6th Cir. 1975), rev’d on other grounds, 430 U.S. 188 (1977). United States v. Christian, 549 F.2d 1369, 1371 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 432 U.S. 910 (1977). 2

*270 In each of the cases just cited the issuing magistrate had not viewed the film but based his decision upon affidavits which had depicted its content in detail. The descriptions in those cases and in the instant case as well were sufficiently detailed to allow the issuing official to focus searchingly on the question of obscenity. Ibid. Compare Marcus v. Search Warrant of Property at 104 E. 10th St., 367 U.S. 717, 731-732 (1961). Moreover, the affidavit in the instant case established a sufficient basis for the issuing judge to make a determination of probable cause for the issuance of the warrant. Commonwealth v. State Amusement Corp., 356 Mass. 715 (1969). United States v. Christian, 549 F.2d at 1371. Such an affidavit is to be viewed in a "common sense and realistic fashion.” Commonwealth v. Cuddy, 353 Mass. 305, 308 (1967).

Nor do we find merit in the defendants’ assertion that the warrant was drawn in such vague terms that it constituted an impermissible "general warrant.” 3 Contrast Stanford v. Texas, 379 U.S. 476, 480-485 (1965) (conviction set aside upon evidence seized under a warrant inadequately describing the things to be seized in violation of the Fourth Amendment). We think that the validity of the warrant in the instant case is supported by the holding in Andresen v. Maryland, 427 U.S. 463, 480-481 n.10 (1976). In Andresen, the Court held that otherwise general language in a warrant was adequately specific where it related to evidence of a specific crime. That Court also noted, inter alia, that in search of evidence, some irrelevant documents must be examined. Ibid. In the instant case the warrant was limited to evidence relating to the dissemination of the specific film. More *271 over, documents showing purchase, ownership or other connection with the film were probative of knowledge on the part of Mascolo and the corporation required for a conviction under § 29. Commonwealth v. Thureson, 371 Mass. 387, 389-390 (1976). We note that the defendants identified no document seized by the detectives in executing the warrant which did not relate to the crime charged. The understanding of a warrant by executing officers, as reflected in the types and numbers of items actually seized, is one indication whether the warrant adequately specified the goods to be seized. See Stanford, 379 U.S. at 485; Andresen, 427 U.S. at 493 (Brennan, J., dissenting); Commonwealth v. Jacobs, 346 Mass. 300, 309 (1963). In the instant case the executing officers apparently understood the limitations imposed by the warrant. 4

The defendants challenge the jury selection procedure on two grounds. They claim that there was error in the denial of their motion for a Statewide venire and that the judge’s examination of prospective jurors was inadequate. They argue that only a jury drawn from a Statewide venire can discern and apply contemporary standards of the Commonwealth as required by G. L. c. 272, §§ 29 and 31. They assert that a jury drawn from a single county does not satisfy this requirement. However, there is no showing on the record before us that a jury drawn from a Statewide venire would be more likely to perceive and to apply the contemporary standards of the Commonwealth as measured by the views of an average citizen than would a jury drawn from a single county. 5

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Bluebook (online)
375 N.E.2d 17, 6 Mass. App. Ct. 266, 1978 Mass. App. LEXIS 580, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/commonwealth-v-mascolo-massappct-1978.