Martin K. Maurer v. Los Angeles County

944 F.2d 909, 1991 U.S. App. LEXIS 27131, 1991 WL 185172
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedSeptember 20, 1991
Docket90-55778
StatusUnpublished

This text of 944 F.2d 909 (Martin K. Maurer v. Los Angeles County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Martin K. Maurer v. Los Angeles County, 944 F.2d 909, 1991 U.S. App. LEXIS 27131, 1991 WL 185172 (9th Cir. 1991).

Opinion

944 F.2d 909

NOTICE: Ninth Circuit Rule 36-3 provides that dispositions other than opinions or orders designated for publication are not precedential and should not be cited except when relevant under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppel.
Martin K. MAURER, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, et al., Defendants-Appellees.

No. 90-55778.

United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

Submitted June 6, 1991.*
Decided Sept. 20, 1991.

Before GOODWIN, PREGERSON and ALARCON, Circuit Judges.

MEMORANDUM**

Martin K. Maurer appeals in pro se from the orders granting summary judgment as to certain defendants and dismissal of the action pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure as to the others. Maurer brought this action for alleged violations of his civil rights under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Maurer raises 10 arguments on appeal, designated by him as "A" through "J." We discuss each issue in the same alphabetical sequence. We disagree with each of his contentions and affirm.

DISCUSSION

A. Dismissal of Claims against Deputy Attorney Generals

Maurer seeks reversal of the order dismissing his claims against Deputy California State Attorney Generals Roger Boren and Ronald Ito pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6). He argues that he can prove "that the plaintiff was twice arrested in violation of the Fourth Amendment when defendant prosecutors cooperated with defendant sheriffs in obtaining two arrest warrants by intentionally suppressing facts regarding probable cause from the proper authorities; and that the defendant prosecutors attempted to have the plaintiff illegally killed by including a frivolous allegation in their criminal complaint." We review de novo a district court's dismissal under Rule 12(b)(6). Western Reserve Oil and Gas Co. v. New, 765 F.2d 1428, 1430 (9th Cir.1985), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 1056 (1986).

Prosecutors are absolutely immune from claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for acts within the scope of their role as advocates. Imbler v. Pachtman, 424 U.S. 409, 430-31 (1976). Each of the activities of which Maurer complains were associated with the judicial phase of the proceedings against Maurer. The district court did not err in dismissing the claims against Boren and Ito.

B. "Standing" to Bring Action Over Search of Clubhouse

Maurer asserts that the district court erred in dismissing his claim for violation of his fourth amendment rights on the ground that "[p]laintiff lacks standing to challenge the entry into the Riders' Association 'clubhouse' on July 6, 1977, or the resulting search and seizure therein."1 "A grant of summary judgment is reviewed de novo to determine whether, viewing the evidence in a light most favorable to the nonmoving party, there are any genuine issues of fact and whether the district court applied the relevant substantive law." Tzung v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Co., 873 F.2d 1338, 1339-40 (9th Cir.1989) (citing Ashton v. Cory, 780 F.2d 816, 818 (9th Cir.1986)).

Maurer argues that he may challenge the legality of the search since he was present when the search took place. In support of this contention, Maurer cites Jones v. United States, 362 U.S. 257 (1960). This proposition is no longer an accurate statement of the law. See, Rakas v. Illinois, 439 U.S. 128, 142 (1978) (Jones does not stand for the principle that anyone legitimately on premises may challenge search).

Since Rakas v. Illinois, 439 U.S. 128 (1978), the Supreme Court has held that issues of standing are to be analyzed under Substantive Fourth Amendment doctrine. Accordingly, the defendant must have a "legitimate expectation of privacy in the item seized and the place searched." United States v. Pollack, 726 F.2d 1456, 1465 (9th Cir.1984) Defendant must exhibit "an actual (subjective) expectation of privacy [and that expectation is] one that society is prepared to recognize as reasonable." Smith v. Maryland, 442 U.S. 735, 740 (1979)....

It is clear that defendant's mere presence at the place searched would not give him standing. Rakas, 439 U.S. at 142-43.

United States v. Echegoyen, 799 F.2d 1271, 1277 (9th Cir.1986) (emphasis added) (citations omitted).

Maurer has the burden of proving that he had a legitimate expectation of privacy in the Rider's Association clubhouse. United States v. Lockett, 919 F.2d 585, 588 (9th Cir.1990) (citing, Rawlings v. Kentucky, 448 U.S. 98, 104 (1980)). "Fourth Amendment rights may not be vicariously asserted." Martinez v. Nygaard, 831 F.2d 822, 825 (9th Cir.1987) (citing Rakas, 439 U.S. at 133-34). To challenge the search Maurer must show that his legitimate expectations of privacy were violated. He cannot rely solely on the fourth amendment rights of the Rider's Association. Id.

Maurer presents no facts that demonstrate that he had a reasonable expectation of privacy concerning the club premises. He failed to show that he had a possessory interest in the place searched and the items seized, and the right to exclude others from the premises. Martinez, 831 F.2d at 826. "[M]embership in a criminal venture does not give a person an expectation of privacy in all property used by the venture. Rather, the defendant must show some 'joint control and supervision of the place searched.' " Lockett, 919 F.2d at 588 (quoting United States v. Pollack, 726 F.2d 1456, 1465 (9th Cir.1984)). Maurer has offered no evidence that he possessed any control or supervision over the clubhouse. Thus, the district court correctly held that Maurer can not challenge the warrantless search of the Rider's Association clubhouse.

C. Warrantless Search of Clubhouse

Maurer asserts that the warrantless search of the clubhouse was unsupported by probable cause or exigent circumstances. As discussed above in section B, Maurer has not established that he had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the club's premises. He may not vicariously assert the rights of the Rider's Association.

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Related

Jones v. United States
362 U.S. 257 (Supreme Court, 1960)
Brady v. Maryland
373 U.S. 83 (Supreme Court, 1963)
Beck v. Ohio
379 U.S. 89 (Supreme Court, 1964)
Imbler v. Pachtman
424 U.S. 409 (Supreme Court, 1976)
United States v. Agurs
427 U.S. 97 (Supreme Court, 1976)
Rakas v. Illinois
439 U.S. 128 (Supreme Court, 1979)
Montana v. United States
440 U.S. 147 (Supreme Court, 1979)
Smith v. Maryland
442 U.S. 735 (Supreme Court, 1979)
Rawlings v. Kentucky
448 U.S. 98 (Supreme Court, 1980)
Allen v. McCurry
449 U.S. 90 (Supreme Court, 1980)
Haring v. Prosise
462 U.S. 306 (Supreme Court, 1983)
United States v. Bagley
473 U.S. 667 (Supreme Court, 1985)
United States v. Michael Lawrence Pollock
726 F.2d 1456 (Ninth Circuit, 1984)
Edward Ashton v. Kenneth Cory
780 F.2d 816 (Ninth Circuit, 1986)
United States v. Rodolfo Echegoyen
799 F.2d 1271 (Ninth Circuit, 1986)
United States v. Marvin Joseph Lindsey
877 F.2d 777 (Ninth Circuit, 1989)
United States v. Bradford L. Lockett
919 F.2d 585 (Ninth Circuit, 1990)

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Bluebook (online)
944 F.2d 909, 1991 U.S. App. LEXIS 27131, 1991 WL 185172, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/martin-k-maurer-v-los-angeles-county-ca9-1991.