Lemar Jamie Anderson, s/k/a Lamar J. Anderson v. CW

Court of Appeals of Virginia·Decided February 10, 1998·No. 2145961·Published

Opinion

Tuesday 10th

February, 1998.

Lemar Jamie Anderson, s/k/a Lamar Jamie Anderson, Appellant,

against Record No. 2145-96-1 Circuit Court Nos. CR95-3728 and CR95-3886

Commonwealth of Virginia, Appellee.

Upon a Rehearing En Banc

Before Chief Judge Fitzpatrick, Judges Baker, Benton, Coleman, Willis, Elder, Bray, Annunziata, Overton and Bumgardner

James Amery Thurman (Thurman & Thurman, on brief), for appellant.

Michael T. Judge, Assistant Attorney General (Richard Cullen, Attorney General; Margaret Ann B. Walker, Assistant Attorney General, on brief), for appellee.

A divided panel of this Court affirmed Lemar Jamie Anderson's convictions of possession of cocaine, possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a felony, and possession of marijuana. Anderson v. Commonwealth, 25 Va. App. 565, 490 S.E.2d 274 (1997). On Anderson's motion, we stayed the mandate of that decision and granted a rehearing en banc. Upon rehearing en banc, the stay of this Court's September 16, 1997 mandate is lifted, and we affirm the judgment of the trial court for the reasons set forth in the majority panel opinion.

Chief Judge Fitzpatrick and Judges Benton, Coleman and Elder dissent for the reasons set forth in the panel dissent. Although

Judge Benton concurs in substantial part with the dissent, he would further hold that the portion of the conviction order, which requires Anderson to "waive his Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures for a period of one year," is void as being violative of the Constitution of the United States. See U.S. Const. amend. IV (protecting "[t]he right of the people to be secure against . . . unreasonable searches and seizures"); amend. XIV.

It is ordered that the trial court allow counsel for the appellant an additional fee of $200 for services rendered the appellant on the rehearing portion of this appeal, in addition to counsel's costs and necessary direct out-of-pocket expenses. This amount shall be added to the costs due the Commonwealth in the

September 16, 1997 mandate.

This order shall be published and certified to the trial

court.

A Copy,

Teste:

Cynthia L. McCoy, Clerk

By:

Deputy Clerk

Tuesday 14th

October, 1997.

Lemar Jamie Anderson, s/k/a Lamar Jamie Anderson, Appellant, against Record No. 2145-96-1 Circuit Court Nos. CR95-3728 and CR95-3886

Commonwealth of Virginia, Appellee.

Upon a Petition for Rehearing En Banc Before the Full Court

On September 24, 1997 came the appellant, by court-appointed counsel, and filed a petition praying that the Court set aside the judgment rendered herein on September 16, 1997, and grant a rehearing en banc thereof.

On consideration whereof, the petition for rehearing en banc is granted, the mandate entered herein on September 16, 1997 is stayed pending the decision of the Court en banc, and the appeal is reinstated on the docket of this Court.

The parties shall file briefs in compliance with Rule 5A:35.

It is further ordered that the appellant shall file with the clerk of this Court ten additional copies of the appendix previously filed in this case.

A Copy, Teste:

Cynthia L. McCoy, Clerk

By:

Deputy Clerk

COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA

Present: Judges Coleman, Willis and Senior Judge Hodges Argued at Norfolk, Virginia

LEMAR JAMIE ANDERSON, S/K/A LAMAR JAMIE ANDERSON OPINION BY

v. Record No. 2145-96-1 JUDGE JERE M. H. WILLIS, JR.

SEPTEMBER 16, 1997

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH A. Bonwill Shockley, Judge James Amery Thurman (Thurman & Thurman, on brief), for appellant.

Margaret Ann B. Walker, Assistant Attorney General (James S. Gilmore, III, Attorney General, on brief), for appellee.

On appeal, Lemar Jamie Anderson contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress evidence seized from his person. He argues that his prior waiver of his Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures could not validate an otherwise invalid search. We disagree and affirm the judgment of the trial court.

I. FACTS

On January 9, 1995, pursuant to a written plea agreement, Anderson pled guilty to feloniously possessing a firearm on school property. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Anderson agreed to waive "his Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures" for one year. Following a colloquy in

which Anderson acknowledged that he understood the agreement, the sentencing judge found that Anderson's plea was entered freely and voluntarily. Prior to the trial court's acceptance of the

plea agreement, the prosecutor stated:

[W]e've given him every incentive in the world to remain of good behavior. He will know as he's out and about that he can be stopped at any time and be checked to make sure he is not carrying drugs or weapons or anything else.

At the sentencing hearing, the Commonwealth introduced certified copies of Anderson's two prior misdemeanor convictions for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. The stated purpose for offering Anderson's prior record was to demonstrate his history of recidivism and drug use and to explain

the inclusion of the waiver provision.

In accordance with the plea agreement, the January, 1995

sentencing order provided, in pertinent part:

[4] That the defendant shall waive his Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures for a term of one year from the date of sentencing, to-wit: he shall submit his person, place of residence and property to searches and seizures at any time of the day or night by any law enforcement officer with or without a warrant.

On June 21, 1995, two City of Virginia Beach police officers working as private security guards saw Anderson and two other individuals alight from a van, "being very loud in public." The officers approached the men and seized from Anderson: 0.07 grams of cocaine, which he dropped on the ground; a .357 magnum firearm

in his backpack; and 0.18 ounces of marijuana in a baggie in his backpack. The circumstances did not support a warrantless search of Anderson's person.

Anderson was indicted for possession of cocaine, possession of a firearm after having been convicted of a felony, possession of a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm, and possession of marijuana. He moved pre-trial to suppress the evidence seized from his person, arguing that his prior waiver of his Fourth Amendment rights was invalid. The trial court ruled

that the waiver was valid and denied the motion to suppress.

II. OTHER JURISDICTIONS

Anderson contends that his waiver of his Fourth Amendment rights as a condition of the January, 1995 plea agreement did not validate the search of his person. This issue is one of first impression in Virginia. However, other jurisdictions have addressed similar questions regarding waiver of Fourth Amendment rights as a condition of probation or of sentence suspension. See generally Phillip E. Hassman, Annotation, Validity of Requirement That as Condition of Probation, Defendant Submit to Warrantless Searches, 79 A.L.R.3d 1083 (1977).

A.

In Tamez v. State, 534 S.W.2d 686 (Tex. Ct. Crim. App.

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