People v. Sanders

374 N.E.2d 1315, 59 Ill. App. 3d 6, 16 Ill. Dec. 437, 1978 Ill. App. LEXIS 2427
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedApril 17, 1978
Docket77-139
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 374 N.E.2d 1315 (People v. Sanders) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Sanders, 374 N.E.2d 1315, 59 Ill. App. 3d 6, 16 Ill. Dec. 437, 1978 Ill. App. LEXIS 2427 (Ill. Ct. App. 1978).

Opinion

Mr. JUSTICE SCOTT

delivered the opinion of the court:

This is an appeal by Daniel P. Sanders, the defendant, from a judgment of the circuit court of Peoria County which found him guilty of the offense of obstructing justice and from a sentence imposed thereon to a term of not less than one nor more than three years in the penitentiary.

The defendant, his wife, and his wife’s brother, Carl Chambers, on June 9, 1976, at approximately 10:15 p.m., returned to their apartment in the city of Peoria. An upstairs neighbor, Verlin Vire, saw Chambers enter the apartment and notified the Peoria Police Department. Vire had been the victim of a burglary in which a television set and checkbook were taken. Chambers was the prime suspect as to this offense. Shortly after being notified as to Chambers’ whereabouts three policemen appeared at the defendant’s apartment. The officers did not have either a search warrant or an arrest warrant. What transpired can best be described by setting forth a portion of the testimony of Officer Poynter which was adduced on cross-examination during a hearing on a motion to suppress evidence. That testimony is as follows:

“Q. You knocked on the door and then is it true that Mr. Sanders came to answer the door?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. And when he answered the door, you more or less just came right in, isn’t that right?
A. I stepped inside the apartment.
Q. You weren’t asked to come in were you?
A. No.
Q. You just assumed that you could come in, is that correct?
A. As I normally do when I am talking to someone.
Q. You come into their place even though you are uninvited?
A. Step into the apartment, yes.
Q. Now, did the other two officers step in?
A. Yes, sir, they did.
Q. And they weren’t invited were they?
A. They were with me.
Q. But they weren’t invited to come in?
A. Not that I can recall.
Q. Mr. Sanders didn’t say to you, come on in, have a chair, or words to that effect did he?
A. Not that I can recall sir.”

From the record it is disclosed that the defendant either refused to reply when asked if Chambers was present or stated that he had been there but had left earlier. He was then handcuffed and informed that he was being arrested for obstructing justice. One of the officers noticed the defendant’s wife in the apartment’s bedroom and heard her whispering to someone. The officer ordered the defendant’s wife to get away from a closet door. It was then discovered that Chambers was hiding in the closet door. Upon being commanded to do so Chambers exited the closet and was placed under arrest.

The evidence is conflicting as to whether the defendant was informed as to why Chambers was being sought. The record does support a finding that the defendant denied an officer’s request to conduct a search of the apartment.

The defendant was charged by complaint with the offense of obstructing justice and concealing a fugitive. Following a preliminary hearing both of these charges were dismissed on the basis of no probable cause being found. Thereafter the defendant was indicted for these same offenses. A pretrial motion to suppress evidence was denied and as we have previously stated, the .defendant following a bench trial was found guilty of the offense of obstructing justice.

The paramount issue presented for determination in this appeal is whether the trial court erred in denying the defendant’s motion to suppress evidence when the police officers entered his home without either a search warrant or an arrest warrant.

In addressing ourselves to this issue we first direct our attention to our Federal and State constitutions. The fourth amendment to the United States Constitution provides as follows:

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

The Illinois Constitution contains similar language:

“The people shall have the right to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and other possessions against unreasonable searches, seizures, invasions of privacy or interceptions of communications by eavesdropping devices or other means. No warrant shall issue without probable cause, supported by affidavit particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.” Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, §6.

An examination of both of the constitutional provisions can only result in arriving at the conclusion that the prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures applies to seizures of the person as well as seizures of property. (See People v. Wolgemuth (1976), 43 Ill. App. 3d 335, 356 N.E.2d 1139.) We are aware of the fact that this court’s decision in the case of Wolgemuth has been reversed by our supreme court but on the grounds that in said case there was not a warrantless search. See People v. Wolgemuth (1977), 69 Ill. 2d 154, 370 N.E.2d 1067.

Both the Federal and State constitutions require, whether persons or things are to be seized, a warrant must issue describing the place to be searched; however, our reviewing courts have modified this requirement where a delay would frustrate or defeat the purpose of the search. This modification has resulted in the evolution of the exigent or exceptional circumstances doctrine. See United States v. Jeffers, 342 U.S. 48, 96 L. Ed. 59, 72 S. Ct. 93; McDonald v. United States, 335 U.S. 451, 93 L. Ed. 153, 69 S. Ct. 191; Johnson v. United States, 333 U.S. 10, 92 L. Ed. 436,68 S. Ct. 367.

In Dorman v. United States (D.C. Cir. 1970), 435 F.2d 385

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Bluebook (online)
374 N.E.2d 1315, 59 Ill. App. 3d 6, 16 Ill. Dec. 437, 1978 Ill. App. LEXIS 2427, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-sanders-illappct-1978.