State v. Baca

528 P.2d 656, 87 N.M. 12
New Mexico Court of Appeals·Decided August 28, 1974·No. 1214·Published·Cited by 38 cases

Opinion

OPINION

HERNANDEZ, Judge.

The defendant appeals from a jury conviction of the unlawful possession of a controlled substance (heroin) contrary to Section 54-11-23, N.M.S.A.1953 (Repl.Vol. 8, pt. 2, 1973 Supp.). He alleges four counts of error which are set forth in the order considered.

We affirm.

On July 13, 1972 at about 9:30 a. m., several city, state and federal officers went to the home of the defendant with a search warrant authorizing them to search the home and person of the defendant for heroin. State Police Officer Martinez knocked on the front door several times and said, in a loud voice, that he was a police officer and that he was there for the purpose of executing a search warrant. City Police Officer Cordova, who was also at the front door, testified that he, too, knocked on the door and announced several times that they were police officers. Cordova also testified that while they were waiting for a response he could hear “some kind of commotion” inside the house. After waiting between 30 and 45 seconds the officers decided to enter. Officer Martinez tried the door and found it locked so he then proceeded to kick it open. As the officers entered they saw the defendant running into the living room dressed in his underclothes. Martinez and Cordova again advised the defendant that they were there for the purpose of searching the house. Cordova then went out to the police car and got a copy of the search warrant and came back in and gave it to the defendant. Two other adults, Mrs. Baca and Herman Padilla, and the defendant’s young children were in the house. Mrs. Baca and one child were in the master bedroom and Padilla was in another bedroom. In a bathroom, the only entrance to which was through the master bedroom, the officers found one “cap” of heroin, a tinfoil wrapper, a “cooker” or spoon and a bloody Kleenex. In the bedroom occupied by Padilla the officers found two “cookers,” needle, syringes, eyedroppers and a marijuana cigarette in his coat, and some tinfoil. Traces of heroin were found on the tinfoil and the paraphernalia used for preparing and injecting heroin.

Defendant’s first point is that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress the heroin seized because it was obtained through an unreasonable search and seizure in violation of his constitutional rights. Specifically, defendant contends that the officers did not wait a reasonable period of time before forcing their way into his home.

Article II, § 10 of the Constitution of New Mexico provides in part that: “The people shall be secure in their persons, papers, homes and effects, from unreasonable searches and . . . ” New Mexico has neither statute nor decision stating what is “unreasonable” in circumstances such as these. Accordingly, we are obliged to look to the common law to determine what procedure must be followed prior to a forced entry. Section 21-3-3, N.M.S.A.1953 (Repl. Vol. 4). We recognize that some uncertainty exists as to common law requirements. See Blakey, 112 U.Pa.L.Rev. 499 (1964). Our view is that an officer, prior to forcible entry, must give notice of authority and purpose, and be denied admittance. This is a general standard. Noncompliance with this standard is justified if exigent circumstances exist. Examples, but not a catalogue, of exigent circumstances are: (1) when, prior to entry, officers in good faith believe that they or someone within are in peril of bodily harm; or (2) when prior to entry, officers in good faith believe that the person to be arrested is fleeing or attempting to destroy evidence. These standards apply both to an officer executing a search warrant and to an officer making an arrest on probable cause. People v. Honea, 257 Cal.App.2d 259, 64 Cal. Rptr. 628 (1967), cert. denied, 392 U.S. 941, 88 S.Ct. 2320, 20 L.Ed.2d 1401 (1968); Ker v. California, 374 U.S. 23, 83 S.Ct. 1623, 10 L.Ed.2d 726 (1963); Miller v. United States, 357 U.S. 301, 78 S.Ct. 1190, 2 L.Ed.2d 1332 (1958); People v. Maddox, 46 Cal.2d 301, 294 P.2d 6 (1956), cert. denied, 352 U.S. 858, 77 S.Ct. 81, 1 L.Ed.2d 65 (1956). The reasonableness of each search and seizure is to be decided upon its own facts and circumstances in light of these general standards. Go-Bart Importing Co. v. United States, 282 U.S. 344, 51 S.Ct. 153, 75 L.Ed. 374 (1931).

If there are exigent circumstances they must be known to the officers beforehand. That is to say, an unreasonable search and seizure cannot be made reasonable by what is discovered. United States ex rel. Manduchi v. Tracy, 350 F.2d 658 (3rd Cir. 1965). Defendant’s claim is that the police did not wait a reasonable time before their forcible entry. The shortness of the delay, no more than 45 seconds, is asserted to be constitutionally unreasonable. The unreasonableness claimed is that defendant was not given a reasonable opportunity to surrender his privacy voluntarily. In this case the affidavit for the search warrant establishes a good faith belief on the part of the officers that heroin was to be found on the premises. The officers knocked on the door, identified themselves as police officers, and announced their purpose. While awaiting a response they heard “some kind of commotion.” Under these circumstances the officers were justified in not delaying further. State v. Dudgeon, 13 Ariz.App. 464, 477 P.2d 750 (1970); People v. Honea, supra.

It is our opinion that under all of the circumstances of this case the defendant’s constitutional right to freedom from unreasonable search and seizure was not violated.

Defendant’s second point is that the court erred in denying the motion to suppress the heroin seized because the search warrant was illegally executed in that the return of service and inventory failed to comply with the Rules of Criminal Procedure. Rule 17(e), N.M.R.Cr.P.; § 41-23-17(e), N.M.S.A.1953 (2d Repl. Vol. 6, 1973 Supp.), provides:

“(e) Return. The return shall be made promptly and in all events within three [3] days after execution of the warrant. The return shall be accompanied by a written inventory of any property taken. The inventory shall be made in the presence of the applicant for the warrant and the person from whose possession or premises the property was taken, if they are present, or in the presence of at least one [1] credible person other than the applicant for the warrant or the person from whose possession or premises the property was taken, and shall be signed by the officer and the person or persons in whose presence the inventory was taken. The court shall upon request deliver a copy of the inventory to the person from whom or from whose premises the property was taken and to the applicant for the warrant.”

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State v. Baca, 528 P.2d 656, 87 N.M. 12 (N.M. Ct. App. 1974).

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