State v. Durand

461 So. 2d 1090
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 10, 1984
DocketKA-2236—KA-2238
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 461 So. 2d 1090 (State v. Durand) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Durand, 461 So. 2d 1090 (La. Ct. App. 1984).

Opinion

461 So.2d 1090 (1984)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Calvin C. DURAND, Jr.

Nos. KA-2236—KA-2238.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

December 10, 1984.
Rehearing Denied January 24, 1985.

*1091 William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Barbara Rutledge, Asst. Atty. Gen., Harry F. Connick, Dist. Atty., William R. Campbell, Jr., Asst. Dist. Atty., Maria M. Lazarte, Asst. Dist. Atty., Julia Coley, Law Clerk, New Orleans, for plaintiff-appellee.

Ronald J. Rakosky, New Orleans, for defendant-appellant.

Before SCHOTT, BARRY and CIACCIO, JJ.

BARRY, Judge.

Calvin Durand was charged with possession of marijuana, LSA-R.S. 40:966; possession of cocaine, LSA-R.S. 40:967; and possession of phencyclidine, LSA-R.S. 40:966. Following denial of a motion to suppress, Durand pled guilty to all charges, reserving his right to appeal the denial of his motion.[1] Durand was sentenced to concurrent terms: (1) three months in parish prison, suspended, two years active probation for possession of phencyclidine; (2) eighteen months at hard labor, suspended, two years active probation for possession of marijuana; (3) eighteen months at hard labor, suspended, two years active probation for possession of cocaine. Durand relies on three assignments of error.

On February 3, 1984 Detectives Doucette and Melder applied for a warrant to search 2553 N. Tonti Street, Durand's residence. To support the application, Officer Doucette submitted an affidavit which provided in pertinent part:

On Thursday the 2nd of February, 1984, Narcotics and Drug Abuse Officer Roland Doucette was telephonically contacted by a reliable and confidential informant (Ci) whose information in the past has led to the arrest and conviction of illegal drug traffickers within the Parish of Orleans. The Ci stated that within the past three (3) days he had the occassion (sic) to purchase a small amount of Cocaine ($25.00 bag) for self indulgence from a subject he knew only as "Calvin". He then stated that Calvin further advised him that should he need any additional quantities that more would be avialable *1092 (sic). At that time the Ci terminated the conversation, time noted 5:00 p.m.
Officer Doucette at that time advised Narcotics Officer Edmond Melder of the afore-mentioned conversation, at which time they decided to conduct a surveillance at 2553 North Tonti Street. Useing (sic) an unmarked surveillance vehicle the Officers arrived at an unrestricted vantage point and with the use of field glasses the following action was observed.
At approximately 6:00 p.m. the same day two black subjects arrived at 2553 N. Tonti St. and knocked on the front door. Within minutes the door opened at which time a short conversation ensude (sic) between the three (3) subjects with one of the subjects reaching into his right front pants pocket and retrieving an undetermined amount of U.S. Currency which he handed to the subject who stood inside the door. At that time the door was closed with the two (2) visiting subjects left standing outside the residence, and after about five minutes the door reopened with the subject inside the door handing an unknown object to the visiting subject who had previously gave (sic) him the aforementioned currency. With the visiting subject placing the object in the area of his right rear pants pocket, both subject (sic) decended (sic) the steps and walked off in an uptown direction on N. Tonti St. out of the officer (sic) line of vision.
At about 6:15 p.m. another black male arrived at the location and peered about the area as if to determin (sic) whether or not his actions were being observed, apparently satisfied the subject ascended the steps and knocked on the door several times. Moments later the door reopened and at which (sic) time the two (2) subjects engaged in a short conversation with the visiting subject left standing on the front porch. Within minutes the door reopened at which time the visiting subject reached into his top shirt an (sic) retrieved an undetermin (sic) amount of U.S. Currency which he handed to the subject inside the door while simultaineously (sic) recieving (sic) an unknown object which he examined very quickly then placed in the area of his right sock. The subject then walked off in an uptown direction then out of the Officers line of vision.
At about 6:45 p.m. a black female approached the residence at 2553 N. Tonti Street and knocked on the door. Moments later the door once again opened only this time the female went inside the residence and about 10 minutes later the (sic) she exited the residence and walked off in an uptown direction out of the Officers (sic) line of vision.

Based on the affidavit, a search warrant was issued on February 3, 1984 and executed on February 13, 1984. The officers seized $1,100.00, a 12 gauge shotgun, one .22 cal. revolver, one .25 cal. automatic, and various quantities of marijuana, cocaine, and phencyclidine. The defendant was present at the time of the seizure and he was arrested.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO. 1

Defendant contends the delay in execution of the search warrant violated the proscription of LSA-C.Cr.P. Art. 163, rendering the seizure illegal.

The search warrant was issued on February 3, 1984 at 6:00 p.m. and executed on February 13, 1984 at 8:00 p.m. Defendant argues that the tenth day following issuance of the warrant expired at 6:00 p.m. on February 13, 1984 which made the search untimely and illegal.

LSA-C.Cr.P. Art. 163 provides, in pertinent part:

A search warrant cannot be lawfully executed after the expiration of the tenth day after its issuance.

We find no interpretation of Art. 163; however, La.C.C.P. Art. 5059[2] (as to civil *1093 matters) has been construed to mean whole days and not parts or fractions. Lowe v. O'Meara, 482 F.2d 1373 (5th Cir.1973); McIntire v. Carpenter, 202 So.2d 297 (La. App. 4th Cir.1967). Although civil procedure is not dispositive here, we find it logically persuasive. C.C.P. Art. 5059 is identical to C.Cr.P. Art. 13 which provides for computation of time in criminal proceedings.

We hold the phrase "expiration of the tenth day" means ten full days, until midnight, beginning the day "after its issuance" to execute the warrant. This interpretation is consistent with C.Cr.P. Art. 2 which mandates that the code of criminal procedure be construed to secure simplicity in procedure, fairness in administration, and elimination of unjustifiable delay. Our holding is compatible with Fourth Amendment jurisprudence regarding staleness of warrants which has provided the use of reasonableness and common sense. United States v. Ventresca, 380 U.S. 102, 85 S.Ct. 741, 13 L.Ed.2d 684 (1965).

This assignment is without merit.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO. 2

Defendant maintains the information in the affidavit failed to establish probable cause for issuance of the search warrant.

State v. Rodrigue, 437 So.2d 830 (La. 1983), set forth the standard for appellate review of probable cause determinations:

Furthermore, this case involves the review of a magistrate's determination of probable cause prior to issuing the warrant. Such a determination is entitled to significant deference by reviewing courts. Spinelli v. United States,

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

Related

State v. McLeod
843 So. 2d 1268 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2003)
State of Tennessee v. Ronald Stanley
67 S.W.3d 1 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee, 2001)
People v. Clayton
18 Cal. App. 4th 440 (California Court of Appeal, 1993)
State v. Ginorio
619 So. 2d 790 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1993)
State v. Ross
561 So. 2d 1004 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1990)
State v. Ford
525 So. 2d 649 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1988)
State v. Slaid
508 So. 2d 597 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1987)
State v. Cook
482 So. 2d 830 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1986)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
461 So. 2d 1090, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-durand-lactapp-1984.