People v. Linke

265 Cal. App. 2d 297, 71 Cal. Rptr. 371, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 1623
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 28, 1968
DocketCrim. 6091
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 265 Cal. App. 2d 297 (People v. Linke) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Linke, 265 Cal. App. 2d 297, 71 Cal. Rptr. 371, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 1623 (Cal. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

SIMS, J.

In an opinion filed April 26, 1968 (Cal.App.) 68 Cal.Rptr. 71, this court affirmed an order admitting defendant to probation after his conviction by the court of possession of marijuana in violation of section 11530 of the Health and Safety Code. His conviction followed the denial of his motion to suppress evidence. Defendant’s contention that the evidence used against him was the result of an unlawful search was rejected in the face of testimony that occupants of the residence in which defendant resided had consented to a search of the premises by officers who were seeking a fugitive from justice. The opinion upheld the implied finding of the trial court, on conflicting evidence, that consent was given to the officers’ entry and overruled defendant’s assertions that the consent was invalid because “(1) it followed an illegal entry in the premises, (2) it was the result of confusion and intimidation by the police authorities, (3) it was not preceded by advice that the consent could be refused, (4) the prosecution failed to prove that the consenting persons had authority so to do, and (5) the consent in any event did not embrace the right to search a locked inner bathroom without the express consent of the defendant as the occupant of that room. ’ ’

*300 On June 3, 1968 the United States Supreme Court filed its opinion in Bumper v. North Carolina, 391 U.S. 543 [20 L.Ed.2d 797, 88 S.Ct. 1788], In response to defendant’s petition for a hearing filed June 5, 1968 in the Supreme Court of this state, that court on June 19, 1968 granted the hearing and remanded the case to this court for reconsideration in the light of the opinion in Bumper. The parties were solicited to, and did furnish written comment on the question posed by the order for reconsideration, and the case was resubmitted. For the reasons which follow it is concluded that the principle enunciated in Bumper does not, as a matter of law, nullify the consent which was manifested in this case. This court adheres to its opinion previously filed and adopts it, together with this addendum, as the opinion of the court.

In this ease, as in Bumper, there was no reliance on a search warrant. 1 In Bumper one of the officers announced, " ‘I have a search warrant to search your house.’ ” (P. 546 [20 L.Ed.2d, p. 801].) The prosecution did not rely upon any warrant to justify the search, but relied upon the consent of the householder. The questions of the existence and the validity of the warrant were never determined in the state court. In Bumper, according to the majority opinion, following the announcement, the householder responded, “ ‘Go ahead, ’ ’' and opened the door.

In this case the testimony has been carefully re-reviewed in the light of Bumper. Deputy Sheriff Crossfield, who relayed the report to the investigating officer, testified that he advised Deputy Ganley that there was an outstanding warrant for Kesey, and that information had been received that he might he at the Skyline Boulevard address. He advised the deputies “to check" at the address and ascertain if Kesey was there. He further testified, “I don’t remember any exact instructions. I told them to check at the residence and, if possible, to look in the house and see if Ken Kesey was in the house. This would he, of course, with the owner’s permission, or the occupant’s permission, if other than Kenneth Kesey answered the door. ’ ’ Deputy Ganley confirmed this conversation and added that he and his partner were instructed ‘ ‘ to proceed up there, meet another Deputy, and check the house out." He stated that there was no discussion with Crossfield about search warrants, and that he was aware that in the absence of permission *301 to search a dwelling house it would be necessary to get a search warrant. Deputy Doran also knew the difference between a search warrant and an arrest warrant.

The uniformed deputies approached the house in the manner stated in the original opinion. The confrontation with the defendant, and his immediate withdrawal did not give the officers an opportunity to either assert authority or otherwise explain their presence. 2 The deputies’ testimony concerning the confrontation with the women is as follows: A period of time, which Ganley fixed at “less than” or “approximately a minute,” and which Doran originally estimated at “no more than half a minute,” but acknowledged he “could not be sure of,” expired before the women appeared at the door. Meanwhile Ganley, shotgun in hand, had advanced into the threshold, “up on the door jamb,” and Doran was to his right a little behind him and outside. Ganley stated, “I would have had to move for somebody to close and lock the door.

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Doran testified “We waited outside the front door, and . . . Mrs. Linke and Mrs. [sic] Eobinson, came to the front door. ... At this time Deputy Ganley informed the two subjects that we had reason to believe Ken Kesey was in the house, and if—we had a warrant for his arrest, and if it would be all right if we cheeked the house for the subject.” On cross-examination he affirmed that Ganley told the ladies who came to the door that they were there looking for Kesey and that they had a warrant for his arrest, and asked them if the officers could come in and cheek the house for Mr. Kesey.

Ganley testified, “I informed the ladies that we had reason to believe that Kenneth Kesey was there, on the premises, and I, with their permission, would like to search the house. ...” Ganley denied that he then told them he had a warrant for Mr. Kesey’s arrest. He stated it was brought up in the kitchen area during the course of the evening when the occupants acknowledged they knew Mr. Kesey. Ganley was unable to recollect that either he or Doran stated that they had a warrant for Mr. Kesey’s arrest while they were at the front door; and he couldn’t remember whether he had told any of *302 the people that he did have a warrant for Mr. Kesey before Doran discussed the marijuana.

The women appeared to be acting normally and did not seem to be frightened by the presence of the officers. They were cooperative and did not dispute the officers’ search of the house. According to Doran, Mrs. Linke said “Come on in and check.” Doran was not sure that the women told the officers Kesey was not there. Ganley testified that they said he was not there, “but if you want to search, go ahead.” Neither officer was asked to leave the house.

The officers did not tell the women that they did not have a search warrant. They did not tell them the distinction between a warrant for a person’s arrest and a warrant to search the premises, nor did they advise the women that they had a right not to consent to a search of the house, and the right to refuse entry to them. According to both officers the question of a search warrant was not mentioned by any occupant until after the discovery of the contraband and the arrest of those present.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
265 Cal. App. 2d 297, 71 Cal. Rptr. 371, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 1623, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-linke-calctapp-1968.