Denton v. State

1937 OK CR 103, 70 P.2d 135, 62 Okla. Crim. 8, 1937 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 102
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedJune 18, 1937
DocketNo. A-9169.
StatusPublished
Cited by30 cases

This text of 1937 OK CR 103 (Denton v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Denton v. State, 1937 OK CR 103, 70 P.2d 135, 62 Okla. Crim. 8, 1937 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 102 (Okla. Ct. App. 1937).

Opinion

BAREFOOT, J.

(after stating the facts as above). In this case a motion was made by defendant, before the trial, to suppress the evidence obtained by reason of the search warrant. This motion was presented and evidence offered thereon prior to the trial. The same was overruled and defendant excepted to the ruling of the court. It is contended by defendant: (1) That the affidavit was insufficient upon which to base the issuance of the search warrant, and the defendant having not waived his right to search his premises without a search warrant, the search was illegal and void; (2) that the search warrant was not served on the defendant as required by the statute; (3) that the search warrant was not addressed to an officer of Ottawa county as required by law; (4) that the search warrant was attempted to be executed in the nighttime and that the search warrant did not direct that it be so executed.

An examination of the opinions from this court, the federal courts, and the Supreme Courts of many states, reveals many seemingly conflicting opinions upon the issuance, service, and return of search warrants. Many of them are conflicting upon the very questions involved in this case.

*13 It is our desire, in this opinion, to discuss the issuance and execution of search warrants so' that hereafter it may he possible for the officers in this state to know just what is necessary in the securing and execution of a search warrant. The cases from this and other states have many times called attention to the fact that the issuance and execution of a search warrant is far more sacred to the citizens of this state than the arrest and conviction of some one individual. This is especially true where the warrant is executed for the search of the home of the citizens of this state.

With the enactment of the prohibition laws the state and federal governments, have gone a long way by special statutory enactment in giving to officers the right of search and seizure, and have extended the same so that the home of the individual may be entered and searched. There were many years after the enactment of the federal Constitution that no such legislation could have passed the federal Congress, nor could it have been enacted by the Legislatures of the several states. The people knew of the uncalled for searches and seizures of the British government against the citizens of this country, hence the enactment of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. But with the passing of time a few of our citizens seem to forget the sacredness of their home and fireside, and, in their eagerness to make money and in an effort to defeat the law, they have degraded their homes by bringing liquor and other instruments of crime therein for the purpose of using, them in violation of the laws of this country, thereby hoping to receive protection through the sacred right of forbidding their, homes to be searched, under the terms of the Constitution. Recognizing this evil on the part of the few, our governments, both state and federal, have, as we stated before, *14 gone a long way in permitting even the home to be searched, and especially where it is being used as a place of public resort, and for the storing of intoxicating liquor to be used for unlawful purposes. The rights of the many have been made to' suffer for the sins of the few. The courts of our country, although they have ever been the guardian of the personal rights of the individual, have upheld these laws. They have also gone a long ways in holding constitutional these laws to' the end that the criminal minded of this country might not go unpunished. But these same courts, not only in this state, but in the nation, have uniformly held that the law which took away these sacred rights should be strictly construed, and that the officer who was given the power to issue the search warrant and to him who executed it should do so only in the manner and form as provided by the statute. We think this is entirely proper, yet enthusiasts often criticize the court for doing the very thing that protects them in the most sacred principle vouched for in the federal and state Constitutions.

The law should not be so interpreted that an individual might be punished, yet by the same principle many innocent and law-abiding citizens suffer the humiliation and inconvenience of illegal search and seizure. The laws of this state and the decisions of the courts have afforded ample opportunity for the detection and punishment of those who violate the prohibition liquor laws. But at the same time these courts have ever kept in mind that certain inalienable rights of the individual citizen are to be regarded as the very essence of constitutional liberty and these fundamental, rights are as imperative in this country as are the right to trial by jury, the writ of habeas corpus, and due process of law. Especially are these rights due the citizens of this state in the protection of their *15 homes and automobiles. There will be times when certain of our citizens will violate the law through this protection, and some may go unpunished, but it is better this than that a principle be established where many of our citizens may suffer the humiliation and hardship of having their home and automobile illegally searched by an overzealous officer. We do not mean to criticize the zealous officer in. the enforcement of this law. He is to be commended., He will follow the law. He will see that his search warrant is properly secured and properly executed, and there will be no desire on his part to turn this warrant, which is his protection, into an instrument to destroy the liberty of the law-abiding citizen which is guaranteed him by the state and federal Constitutions.

The officers of this state ought to be the first to uphold the courts in the enforcement of these fundamental rights. The procuring of a search warrant is an easy matter. It ought not to be secured in a haphazard way and served in a reckless disregard of the rights of the individual citizen. No more power or force should be used than is necessary to properly execute the warrant. Yet, if there is resistance, the officer should use such force as is necessary to carry out his mandate, and in doing this he is fully protected by his warrant if it is properly issued. It is, therefore, to his protection that the warrant be in proper form.

'The county attorneys of this state, and no doubt many of them have already done so, should bring before them the sheriff and his deputies and also other peace officers of their county and explain to them in detail the necessity of a search warrant, the proper manner for the issuance, and the manner in which it should be executed and returned. The terms of the statute should be followed. This practice would cause many cases to be affirmed instead *16 of reversed and would save their counties additional costs and would at the same time protect the officer and the individual citizen in their respective rights.

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Related

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Shiever v. State
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Graham v. State
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Edwards v. State
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Fowler v. State
1945 OK CR 34 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1945)
Clark v. State
1944 OK CR 48 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1944)
Pritchett v. State
1943 OK CR 124 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1943)
Mullins v. State
1943 OK CR 2 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1943)
Mitchell v. State
1942 OK CR 94 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1942)
Wagner v. State
1941 OK CR 120 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1941)
Stewart v. State
1941 OK CR 37 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1941)
Peters v. State
1941 OK CR 16 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1941)
Nott v. State
1940 OK CR 136 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1940)
Eslick v. State
1940 OK CR 105 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1940)
Buckley v. State
1940 OK CR 59 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1940)
Yeargain v. State
1940 OK CR 38 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1940)
Crouse v. State
1940 OK CR 28 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1940)
Morris v. State
1939 OK CR 76 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1939)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1937 OK CR 103, 70 P.2d 135, 62 Okla. Crim. 8, 1937 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 102, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/denton-v-state-oklacrimapp-1937.