State v. Belosh

13 Fla. Supp. 2d 34
CourtCircuit Court for the Judicial Circuits of Florida
DecidedJuly 25, 1985
DocketCase No. 84-11640-CF
StatusPublished

This text of 13 Fla. Supp. 2d 34 (State v. Belosh) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Circuit Court for the Judicial Circuits of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Belosh, 13 Fla. Supp. 2d 34 (Fla. Super. Ct. 1985).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

LOUIS SAFER, Circuit Judge.

ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO SUPPRESS WIRETAP EVIDENCE AS TO RICO PROSECUTION

Defendants filed a Motion to Suppress and a Motion to Dismiss.

The issue is whether a wiretap authorized to investigate gambling [35]*35may be used in a RICO prosecution based on the predicate offense of gambling.

Defendants contend primarily that since RICO is not one of the enumerated crimes for wiretap under F.S. 934.07, any evidence gathered through a wiretap can never be used in a RICO prosecution.

Defendants also urge the Court to quash the warrant because of bad faith on the part of law enforcement, suggesting:

(1) Police officers who are assigned to bookmaking cases are well trained, astute and intelligent;

(2) Such officers are aware of RICO implications;

(3) The Court should not be misled by testimony that police officers were only interested in bookmaking;

(4) When the State Attorney files affidavit for a wiretap for bookmaking, there is sufficient information to know that there is basis for RICO prosecution;

(5) That the Court must be the protector of defendants who are at the mercy of law enforcement officers in having their potential penalty enhanced from bookmaking to RICO, subjecting them to 30 years instead of 5 years;

(6) That the Court should send a message to the prosecutors and law enforcement that this conduct will not be tolerated and that RICO cases should be prosecuted on RICO investigation.

The State counters with the argument that a wiretap is nothing more than search and seizure, and that once the wiretap is authorized, it is clothed with the aura of legality, and that any evidence contained through a legal search warrant can be used in the prosecution of a different crime.

The Court will attempt to reach a conclusion without becoming involved in the philosophical aspects suggested by defendants.

AS TO SECOND CONTENTION

Considering defendants’ argument to quash the warrant, the Court believes the case of Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154, 57 L.Ed.2d 667, 98 S.Ct. 2674 (1978) is controlling. In Franks, the United States Supreme Court held that where a defendant made a substantial preliminary showing that a false statement knowingly and intentionally or with reckless disregard for the truth was included by affiant in his affidavit for a search warrant and if the alleged false statement was necessary to the finding of probable cause, the fourth amendment [36]*36required that a hearing be held at the defendant’s request so that he might challenge the truthfulness of the factual statements made in the affidavit.

In this case, I held that defendant had made a substantial preliminary showing in that the bookmaking wiretap resulted in a RICO prosecution. A hearing was held at which defendant called two law enforcement officers as witnesses. They testified as to the basis of the wiretap. The Court does not find from the testimony that there has been any false statement; reckless disregard for the truth or attempt to mislead the Court in the wiretap authorization, nor was there any attempt by law enforcement officers to circumvent the Florida wiretap law to obtain RICO evidence.

As held in Franks, there is a presumption of validity with respect to the affidavit supporting a search warrant and the burden of proof would be on the defendants to offset that presumption with sufficient evidence, which defendants have failed to do in this case.

AS TO FIRST CONTENTION

Initially, it is important to understand the Florida wiretap statute. F.S. 934.07, which states in essence that a wiretap may be obtained “when such interception may provide or has provided evidence of the commission of the offense of murder, kidnapping, gambling, robbery, burglary, theft, dealing in stolen property, prostitution, criminal usury, bribery, extortion, or dealing in narcotic drugs or other dangerous drugs; any violation of the provisions of the Florida Antifencing Act; or any conspiracy to commit any violation of the laws of this State relating to the crimes specifically enumerated above”. Thus, it is seen that RICO is not an enumerated crime.

F.S. 934.08(5) provides that “when an investigative or law enforcement officer, while engaged in intercepting wire or oral communications in the manner authorized herein, intercepts wire or oral communications relating to offenses for which an order or authorization or approval could have been secured pursuant to Section 934.07, other than those specified in the order of authorization or approval, the contents thereof and evidence derived therefrom may be disclosed or used as provided in subsections (1) and (2) of this section. . .” Thus, it is apparent. that upon obtaining information from the bookmaking wiretap about RICO, it would have been impossible for law enforcement to have obtained a RICO wiretap based on the new information.

Florida law is different than federal law. Under parallel federal law, 18 U.S.C. Section 2517(5) [18 USCS §2517(5)], evidence obtained in [37]*37the bookmaking wiretap would be admissible because Section 2517(5) allows the use of evidence of any offense other than the one under investigation.

I will now discuss several vital areas in reaching my conclusion.

I. LEGISLATIVE INTENT

A. RICO

In 1977, when RICO legislation was passed by the Legislature, the Judiciary — Criminal Committee proposed a bill that would have amended Section 934.07 by adding the following crime: any violation of the Florida RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization) Act. This amendment was defeated (Defendant’s Exhibits 1 and 2).

Defendants’ Motion to Suppress also asserts that unsuccessful efforts were made in 1981 and 1982 to amend the wiretap bill to include RICO. The Court received no evidence of this but has no reason to disbelieve the allegations of the Motion.,

While the Legislature has inferred that RICO was primarily designed to give law enforcement a tool against crime families, RICO is not limited to “family” type organized crime. It applies to anyone who sets up an enterprise and engaged in a pattern of racketeering in certain specified offenses, United States v. Romano, 736 F.2d 1432 (11th Cir. 1984); United States v. Mandell, 415 F.Supp.997, supp. p. 415 F. Supp. 1025 (N. Md. 1976).

B. WIRETAPS

Section 934.01 contains legislative findings to-wit:

(3) Organized criminals make extensive use of wire and oral communications in their criminal activities. The interception of such communications to obtain evidence of the commission of crimes or to prevent their commission is an indispensable aid to law enforcement and the administration of justice.

However, the Legislative findings also attempted to protect privacy of citizens, to-wit:

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Franks v. Delaware
438 U.S. 154 (Supreme Court, 1978)
United States v. Willie Horton
601 F.2d 319 (Seventh Circuit, 1979)
United States v. John S. McKinnon
721 F.2d 19 (First Circuit, 1983)
United States v. Lanza
341 F. Supp. 405 (M.D. Florida, 1972)
United States v. Geller
560 F. Supp. 1309 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1983)
Carroll v. State
459 So. 2d 368 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1984)
United States v. Mandel
415 F. Supp. 1025 (D. Maryland, 1976)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
13 Fla. Supp. 2d 34, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-belosh-flacirct-1985.