State of Maine v. Smith

CourtSuperior Court of Maine
DecidedNovember 30, 2007
DocketKENcr-06-613and984
StatusUnpublished

This text of State of Maine v. Smith (State of Maine v. Smith) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State of Maine v. Smith, (Me. Super. Ct. 2007).

Opinion

STATE OF MAINE SUPERIOR COURT KENNEBEC ss CRIMINAL ACTION DOCKET NOS. CR-06-613 zaOl NOV 30 P 12: 51 rJ(v'). I..r ~J~ '~, 'l:~<;::R·06-984 t> 1 fOl \ "':'\)J

STATE OF MAINE

v. ORDER ON MOTIONS TO SUPPRESS

MARK SMITH and THOMAS S~,nTH,

Defendants .}4/v r. C'lyr <'.:} ~ .' .(C~cf Both defendants are charged with marijuana cultivation and unlawful trafficking

of scheduled drugs. The defendants seeks to suppress the following:

1. evidence obtained as a result of the search of Mark Smith's residence at 1634

Riverside Drive in Vassalboro;

2. evidence obtained as a result of the search of the residence on Dunham Road

in Vassalboro;

3. evidence obtained as a result of the search of the property off the Bog Road in

Vassalboro;

4. any statements made by the defendants during the course of the searches.

For the following reasons, the motions are denied in part and granted in part.

FACTS

On 6/2/06, KCSO Corporal Michael Dunham, along with twelve or thirteen

other law enforcement officers, some in swat-team type uniforms and armed with gums

and tazers, executed a search warrant at 1634 Riverside Drive in Vassalboro. Defendant

Mark Smith was taken outside from the residence, secured, placed in hand cuffs, and

seated in the front passenger seat of Corporal Dunham's cruiser. Corporal Dunham asked Mark Smith if he wanted to speak to the officer. Mark

Smith replied that he knew the officers were there to get his plants. Corporal Dunham

then read the Miranda warnings to Mark Smith. Corporal Dunham read all of the

warnings and the waiver verbatim from his card, which is identical to State's exhibit 4.

After reading each paragraph, Corporal Dunham asked Mark Smith if he understood

what had been read and received an affirmative response before proceeding to the next

paragraph. Mark Smith answered affirmatively after the waiver language was read.

During the next several minutes, Corporal Dunham asked questions. Mark

Smith admitted his involvement in the cultivation of marijuana plants and implicated

his brother, Thomas Smith. Mark Smith also admitted that he stored marijuana at his

parents' residence on the Dunham Road in Vassalboro. Corporal Dunham and Mark

Smith then drove to the Dunham Road residence. Corporal Dunham did not discuss

having found more than 100 plants during this initial interview. The officer had no way

to know at that time the number of plants found because the search was not completed.

Detective Rick Stubbert next spoke to Mark Smith, who was in custody by that

time. Detective Stubbert advised Mark Smith that he was in trouble and said that if he

cooperated, it would help him in the end. Detective Stubbert made no threats but did

say that if Mark Smith was honest and forthcoming, it would be in his best interests.

Detective Stubbert asked where the processed marijuana was kept and where the plants

were. Eventually, Mark Smith said that the marijuana was kept at his parents' residence

and that his brother would be there.

Detective Stubbert drove to the Dunham Road residence. The officers knocked

on the door and Thomas Smith exited the residence. Sergeant Cowan and Detective

Stubbert told Thomas Smith that Mark Smith had been arrested for crimes and that they

2 knew Thomas Smith was involved. Sergeant Cowan's body language led Thomas

Smith to understand that he was not free to leave.

Detective Stubbert advised Thomas Smith that a search warrant had just been

executed at Mark Smith's house. Detective Stubbert stated that he could get a search

warrant to search the Dunham Road residence or Thomas Smith could consent to the

officers entering the residence. Although Thomas Smith denied he was told that he did

not have to let the officers enter and they could get a warrant, Mark Smith agreed that

that information was given to Thomas Smith. Detective Stubbert did not recall whether

he asked if Thomas Smith lived at the residence and did not recall whether Thomas

Smith said he lived there. Thomas Smith stated that this was his parents' house and he

did not want them to be involved because they had no connection to what was going

on.

On 6/2/06, Thomas Smith was the caregiver for his mother. He went to the

Dunham Road residence on a regular basis and it was not unusual for him to spend

considerable periods of time at the residence. He agreed at the motion hearing that he

had access to the residence and access to the attic where the marijuana was found,

which was a common storage area used by several family members.

Sergeant Cowan produced the consent to search form. (State's Ex. 1.) Detective

Stubbert explained the contents of the form. Thomas Smith admitted at the motion

hearing that he understood that the officers were asking for consent to enter the house,

that he signed the consent form, and that he let the officers go in. He gave oral

permission to look in the residence and signed the form in Detective Stubbert's

presence.

When Corporal Dunham and Mark Smith arrived at the Dunham Road

residence, Thomas Smith was outside with Sergeant Cowan and Detective Stubbert. At

3 least seven officers eventually arrived. Sergeant Cowan and Detective Stubbert stated

that Thomas Smith resided at that address, had given consent to search the residence,

and showed the signed consent form to Corporal Dunham. (State's Ex. 1.)

No Miranda warnings were read to Thomas Smith. Corporal Dunham was

unsure if Thomas Smith would be charged and he was free to leave as far as Corporal

Dunham was concerned. At the motion hearing, Thomas Smith denied that he was

asked any questions by any officers except whether he would consent to the search of

the residence and whether he could talk some sense into his brother. Thomas Smith did

not reply to the latter question.

Corporal Dunham and Thomas Smith entered the residence. Corporal Dunham

asked Thomas Smith if he would show the officer the location of the marijuana.

Thomas Smith led the officer to a storage area and a bucket containing just over thirteen

pounds of marijuana. Thomas Smith stated that he helped Mark Smith with the

marijuana growing and Mark Smith gave marijuana to Thomas Smith for health

reasons. Thomas Smith stated that the marijuana belonged to Mark Smith and himself.

Corporal Dunham arrested Thomas Smith and another deputy transported Thomas

Smith to jail.

At the Dunham Road residence, Detective Stubbert spoke to Mark Smith again.

Detective Stubbert said he had information about plants and asked Mark Smith again

about the plants and whether he had an "outdoor grow." Mark Smith asked whether it

would help and "make us look good" if he led the officers to the grow. Detective

Stubbert and Corporal Dunham replied that it would be to Mark Smith's benefit to

show the officers other plants and would help prove his cooperation with the

investigation. At the motion hearing, Detective Stubbert agreed that he assumed that

4 these remarks to Mark Smith led Mark Smith to believe that cooperation would help in

the end with the District Attorney.

Corporal Dunham did not say what would happen if Mark Smith did not show

other plants and did not hear Detective Stubbert say anything to that effect. Neither

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Related

Georgia v. Randolph
547 U.S. 103 (Supreme Court, 2006)
State v. Thibodeau
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State v. Philbrick
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State v. Michaud
1998 ME 251 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1998)
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State v. Higgins
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State v. Seamen's Club
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State v. Sawyer
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State v. Mikulewicz
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State v. Ullring
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State v. Crowley
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State v. Hassan
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State of Maine v. Smith, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-of-maine-v-smith-mesuperct-2007.