State v. Adam M. Blackman

Procedural entryThis page is a short order in State v. Adam M. Blackman. Read the opinion of the Court — 377 Wis. 2d 339
Wisconsin Supreme Court·Decided July 7, 2017·No. 2015AP000450-CR·Published

Opinion

2017 WI 77

SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN CASE NO.: 2015AP450-CR COMPLETE TITLE:

State of Wisconsin,

Plaintiff-Appellant,

v.

Adam M. Blackman,

Defendant-Respondent-Petitioner.

REVIEW OF A DECISION OF THE COURT OF APPEALS Reported at 371 Wis. 2d 635, 886 N.W.2d 94 PDC No: 2016 WI App 69 - Published

OPINION FILED: July 7, 2017 SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: ORAL ARGUMENT: April 12, 2017

SOURCE OF APPEAL:

COURT: Circuit COUNTY: Fond du Lac JUDGE: Gary R. Sharpe

JUSTICES:

CONCURRED: ZIEGLER, J. concurs, joined by GABLEMAN, J.

(opinion filed).

DISSENTED: ROGGENSACK, C.J. dissents (opinion filed).

NOT PARTICIPATING:

ATTORNEYS:

For the defendant-respondent-petitioner, there were briefs by Dennis M. Melowski and Melowski & Associates, LLC, Sheboygan, with whom on the briefs were Chad A. Lanning and Lubar & Lanning, LLC, West Bend, and oral argument by Dennis M. Melowski.

For the plaintiff-appellant there was a brief by Michael C.

Sanders, assistant attorney general, and Brad D. Schimel, attorney general, and an oral argument by Michael C. Sanders.

2017 WI 77

NOTICE

This opinion is subject to further editing and modification. The final version will appear in the bound volume of the official reports.

No. 2015AP450-CR (L.C. No. 2013CF659)

STATE OF WISCONSIN : IN SUPREME COURT State of Wisconsin,

Plaintiff-Appellant,

FILED

v.

JUL 7, 2017

Adam M. Blackman, Diane M. Fremgen

Defendant-Respondent-Petitioner. Clerk of Supreme Court

REVIEW of a decision of the Court of Appeals. Reversed and remanded.

¶1 SHIRLEY S. ABRAHAMSON, J. This is a review of a published decision of the court of appeals reversing a decision of the Circuit Court for Fond du Lac County, Gary R. Sharpe, Judge.1 The circuit court granted Adam M. Blackman's motion to suppress the results of a blood test obtained under Wisconsin's

1 State v. Blackman, 2016 WI App 69, 371 Wis. 2d 635, 886 N.W.2d 94.

No. 2015AP450-CR

implied consent law, Wis. Stat. § 343.305(3)(ar)2. (2013-14).2 The court of appeals reversed the order of the circuit court.

¶2 The issue presented is whether the consequences for refusing to submit to a blood test requested under Wis. Stat. § 343.305(3)(ar)2. were misrepresented to Blackman and, if so, whether that misrepresentation rendered Blackman's consent to the blood draw coerced, that is, not freely and voluntarily given under the Fourth Amendment.3 Furthermore, if the court

2 All subsequent references to the Wisconsin Statutes are to the 2013-14 version unless otherwise indicated.

3 Blackman presented three issues in his petition for review:

1. Whether the circuit court properly suppressed Mr.

Blackman's warrantless blood test because he was unconstitutionally coerced into taking the test when he was read the informing the accused form which incorrectly told him that he faced a revocation and other penalties if he refused chemical testing, when he was actually only facing a possible arrest?

2. Whether the circuit court below properly suppressed Mr. Blackman's blood test where Mr. Blackman was unconstitutionally coerced into taking the blood test, under the totality of the circumstances, when he acquiesced to the unlawful assertion by the officer that they take blood samples in cases like his——in addition to being told that he faced a revocation and other penalties if he refused?

3. Whether Section 343.305(3)(ar)2. is unconstitutional on its face and as-applied because it coerces consent to otherwise unconstitutional searches without due process of law?

(continued)

No. 2015AP450-CR

concludes that Blackman's consent to the blood draw was not voluntary consent under the Fourth Amendment, the issue becomes whether the court should apply the good faith exception to the exclusionary rule and admit the evidence of the blood alcohol concentration from the blood draw.

¶3 For the reasons set forth, we reverse the decision of the court of appeals, affirm the suppression order of the circuit court, and decline to apply the good faith exception to the exclusionary rule in the instant case.

¶4 The Fourth Amendment ordinarily requires a search warrant for a blood draw unless one of the exceptions to the warrant requirement exists. Birchfield v. North Dakota, 136 S. Ct. 2160, 2173 (2016). In the instant case, the only exception to the warrant requirement at issue is whether Blackman's consent to the blood draw was given freely and voluntarily under the Fourth Amendment. When the legality of a warrantless search is based on the consent of the defendant, that consent must be

freely and voluntarily given. State v. Johnson, 2007 WI 32, ¶16, 299 Wis. 2d 675, 729 N.W.2d 182 (citing State v. Phillips,

218 Wis. 2d 180, 197, 577 N.W.2d 794 (1998); Bumper v. North Carolina, 391 U.S. 543, 548 (1968)).

We need not and do not address the second and third issues presented. The second issue is substantially the same as the first issue. Our decision on the first issue is dispositive of the instant case. Accordingly, we need not and do not address the third issue challenging the constitutionality of Wis. Stat. § 343.305(3)(ar)2.

No. 2015AP450-CR

¶5 Blackman submitted to a blood draw after Deputy Sheriff John Abler stated the consequences of refusing to submit to a test: Blackman (who was not suspected of a drunk-driving offense) was told that his operating privilege would be revoked if he refused to submit to a blood draw. This information was not accurate. A driver who was not suspected of a drunk-driving offense would prevail at a refusal hearing and his operating privilege would not be revoked. See Wis. Stat. § 343.305(9)(a)5.a.

¶6 For the reasons set forth, we conclude that the State did not prove by clear and convincing evidence that Blackman's consent to the blood draw was valid, that is, that it was freely and voluntarily given under the Fourth Amendment. Because the exclusionary rule's deterrent effect will be served in instant case by suppressing evidence of Blackman's blood test, we decline to apply the good faith exception to the exclusionary rule. The results of Blackman's blood draw are therefore

suppressed.

¶7 Accordingly, the cause is remanded to the circuit

court to reinstate its order suppressing the evidence and for further proceedings not inconsistent with the decision of this court.

¶8 Our decision is organized as follows:

I. We state the facts.

II. We state the standard of review.

III. Our analysis proceeds as follows:

No. 2015AP450-CR

(A) We examine Wis. Stat. § 343.305 to determine whether license revocation is a statutory consequence had Blackman refused to submit to a chemical test under Wis. Stat. § 343.305(3)(ar)2. We conclude that it is not.

(B) We determine whether Blackman's consent to the blood draw was obtained through misrepresentation, rendering his consent coerced, that is, not voluntary and free consent under the Fourth Amendment. We conclude that the consent was obtained through misrepresentation and was coerced.

(C) We determine whether to apply the good faith exception to the exclusionary rule in the instant case. We conclude that the good faith exception does not apply in the instant case.

I

¶9 For purposes of the motion to suppress evidence of

Blackman's blood test, the statement of facts is brief and not in dispute.

¶10 At about 10 A.M. on the morning of June 22, 2013, Blackman was driving his car in a northeast direction on County Highway WH in the Town of Taycheedah, Fond du Lac County. Blackman made a left turn onto Lakeview Road. As he was turning, his car collided with a bicyclist travelling in a southwest direction on County Highway WH.

¶11 A witness at the scene explained that Blackman's car collided with the bicyclist, causing the bicyclist to "fly up in

No. 2015AP450-CR

the air, over the car, and land on the roadway." The bicyclist suffered great bodily harm, including a mandibular fracture, fractures to both forearms, rib fracture, sinus fracture, a C6 vertebrae fracture, liver laceration, lung contusion, and a subdural hemorrhaging brain bleed.

¶12 Blackman and the witness both stopped to check on the bicyclist.

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