People v. Hernández Turell

75 P.R. 852
CourtSupreme Court of Puerto Rico
DecidedFebruary 8, 1954
DocketNo. 15478
StatusPublished

This text of 75 P.R. 852 (People v. Hernández Turell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Puerto Rico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Hernández Turell, 75 P.R. 852 (prsupreme 1954).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Pérez Pimentel

delivered the opinion of the Court.

The former District Court of Puerto Rico, Ponce Section, found Moisés Hernández Turell guilty of a violation of § 1Ü of Act No. 220 of May 15, 1948 (Sess. Laws, p. 738), as amended [Bolita Act], and sentenced him to an indefinite term of from 1 to 5 years imprisonment in the penitentiary at hard labor. Peeling aggrieved by the judgment the defendant appealed and in support of his petition alleges: (1) that the trial court erred in refusing to suppress the evidence [854]*854seized at his house by virtue of a search warrant which was void; (2) that the court likewise erred in admitting in evidence the extrajudicial confession of the defendant and his admissions without having previously proved the corpus de-, licti, and (3) that the court erred in considering proved the offense charged.

The first error is based on (1) the alleged existence of “a fundamental variance between the probable cause stated in the affidavit or sworn statement of police officer, Francisco Vázquez, license No. 765, in support of the search warrant, and the probable cause stated by the Honorable Judge who issued the search warrant, in the warrant itself,” and (2) that the affidavit did not furnish sufficient basis to order that the search be practiced either at daytime or at nighttime.1 These grounds are insufficient to decree the nullity of the search warrant and of the search practiced. Let us see.

In the affidavit supporting the search warrant, after describing the residence of the defendant-appellant, the following is set forth:

“That the respondent is engaged in the manipulation, administration and sale of Bolipool and Bolita, slips, tickets, notebooks, and papeletas, all in connection with the clandestine lotteries of Bolipool, Bolita in contravention of the provisions of Act No. 220 of May 15, 1948, in force in Puerto Rico, declaring a public nuisance the clandestine game known as bolita, bolipool as before mentioned.
“That the foregoing is known to me of my own personal knowledge because on several occasions while the affiant was around the place known as the Barriada Borinquen, where the respondent lives, I could observe that some men addressed the petitioner (sic) and spoke to him in connection with this clandestine game and he gave them full information of the prizes, how much the pool had paid and who had won prizes in the Barriada. On January 6, 1951, particularly after having heard [855]*855respondent’s conversation, the affiant kept on the lookout and that night he saw when defendant was selling at his house some colored tickets with numbers to a man whom I do not know, and he had in his hands several other tickets. That I could realize that it was bolipool bolita material because they were booklets of different colors of the type expressly used in the bolita and bolipool Bancas, it being corroborated by a conversation that he was carrying on with the purchaser and which the affiant overheard. That I could not seize that evidence, because he, that is the defendant, was within his house and I was not provided with a legal order therefor.
“That the afore-mentioned game is connected with the unlawful clandestine game of Bolita and Bolipool, which they play in combination with the last three figures of the grand prize of the official lottery drawn in Puerto Rico or in Santo Domingo, that the Bancas pay according to the amount stipulated by the banker and by the purchaser, the prizes being the following, grand prize, second, third, approximation and last figure of the grand prize or any other form stipulated, and the collector collects according to the number of tickets sold.
“Wherefore, I understand that the affiant knows that this game is unlawful and against the aforementioned Act No. 220 and pursuant to the provisions of § 503 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, I very respectfully pray this Hon. Court that if it finds and believes that there is probable cause that in that house the respondent is violating Act No. 220, Bolita and Bolipool Act in force, to issue the corresponding Search Warrant in order to proceed to search his residence and to seize there or on his person all evidence of tickets, slips, pencils, note-books, pa/pele-tas, and bolita or bolipool numbers and thus arrest the person or persons engaged in this unlawful game, and take them before you to proceed according to the law.”

Insofar as pertinent, the search warrant, after describing the defendant’s residence, reads:

“The house is occupied by the respondent Moisés Hernández. In said place the aforesaid respondent, during the daytime as well as at nighttime, allows and consents to the printing or engraving [of material], manages and directs as the owner, or as manager or attorney-in-fact or person in charge, or as agent or director, a clandestine lottery banca, commonly known [856]*856as bolita and bolipool, which he operates in this city and neighboring barrios, manipulating and circulating combinations connected with the pools of the race tracks of Puerto Rico, bills, tickets or slips or notebooks, or lists of numbers of bolita or bolipool, rubber stamps and other tools or implements; that the slips or tickets or billetes or papeletas of clandestine pools, and other tools and implements represent shares, chances, and interest in the clandestine lottery known as bolita bolipool; that to carry out this unlawful game, the respondent uses also rubber stamps, numbered balls, shake bottles (candungos), money, blank and printed papeletas and other tools or implements; and since this court considers that there is probable cause that Moisés Hernández at the place and in the manner before mentioned is using the materials and tools afore-mentioned knowingly and intentionally, in violation of Act No. 220 of May 14, 1948 which declares the such games a public nuisance, and punishes the sale, possession, transportation, and manipulation, etc., of such materials, tools or implements;
“He Is Hereby Ordered to proceed immediately, at daytime or at nighttime to search the previously described house of Moi-sés Hernández, in search of the following effects; bolipool slips, Bolita, tickets, clandestine combinations connected with the pools of the race tracks of Puerto Rico, lists of numbers representing shares, chances, and interest, shake bottles (candungos) numbered balls, money, and other tools and implements which are being used in violation of the provisions of Act No. 220 of May 15, 1948 and if you find all the effects or part thereof bring them immediately to my presence in the Municipal Court of Ponce, Puerto Rico, Second Section.”

We agree with the appellant that since the search warrant proceeding is an exception to the right of the people to be secure in their home against unreasonable searches,2 said proceeding should be executed in strict compliance with the constitutional guaranties and the Act to that effect. United States v. Rembert, 284 Fed. 996; United States v. Miller, [857]*85736 F. Supp. 391; United States v. Zager, 14 F. Supp. 23, affirmed in 84 F.2d 1023, cert. den. 299 U. S.

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Bluebook (online)
75 P.R. 852, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-hernandez-turell-prsupreme-1954.