State v. Erdman

170 N.W.2d 872, 1969 N.D. LEXIS 84
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 23, 1969
DocketCrim. 381
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 170 N.W.2d 872 (State v. Erdman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Erdman, 170 N.W.2d 872, 1969 N.D. LEXIS 84 (N.D. 1969).

Opinion

STRUTZ, Judge,

on reassignment.

. The Service Drug Store in Minot, North Dakota, was burglarized on May 27, 1967, and a quantity of narcotic drugs, together with needles and syringes, was stolen. In July, following such burglary, one Russell Kulisich, an Army airman stationed at the Minot Air Force Base, was arrested in Massachusetts. In his posses *874 sion at the time of his arrest was found a quantity of drugs, a syringe, and a hypodermic needle. Markings on the drug containers showed that they had come from the Service Drug Store in Minot. The Massachusetts police officers thereupon notified the Minot police of their findings. A check of the records disclosed that the drugs found in Kulisich’s possession in Massachusetts had been a part of the loot taken in the Minot burglary. Three criminal charges were placed against Kulisich in Massachusetts, but trial on these charges was delayed until after Kulisich should receive his release from military service. He was allowed by the Massachusetts authorities to return to the Minot Air Force Base.

On the basis of the information secured from the Massachusetts authorities, a warrant for the arrest of Kulisich on a charge of burglary of the Service Drug Store in Minot was requested by one of the police officers in Minot. In making such application for warrant of arrest of Kulisich, the magistrate was not given any of the facts as above outlined. The police officer who made application for the warrant of arrest was sworn and examined by the magistrate, and he testified only that at the time and place set out in the complaint Kulisich did break and enter the Service Drug Store in Minot with intent to steal, in violation of Section 12-35-02, North Dakota Century Code. The complaining witness gave no particulars or facts to support his allegations because he was not asked for any details. The magistrate did not make any inquiry as to how the complaining witness knew that Kulisich had committed the burglary of the Service Drug Store.

The warrant of arrest was issued, and on February 8, 1968, the police authorities, accompanied by officers of the Minot Air Force Base, went to Kulisich’s room, armed with such warrant, for the purpose of arresting him. When the officers arrived at the quarters of Kulisich, at about 11 o’clock in the forenoon, they found him sleeping. In the same room, also in bed and sleeping, were the defendant, Erd-man, and another airman, one Terrance Philp.

Kulisich was told that he was under arrest, and he was immediately informed of his constitutional rights. He then was asked if a search could be made of his property and the immediate vicinity. Coupled with the request for permission to search was a statement by one of the officers that they were going to search whether or not Kulisich gave them permission to do so. Kulisich thereupon told them to go ahead. The search was made incident to the arrest of Kulisich.

The area searched included a table, drapes, a locker, a wastepaper basket, and Venetian blinds. The search disclosed narcotic drugs under the table, and three vials of morphine were found in the Venetian blinds. A number of bottles were found in the locker, used by all of the occupants. It later was determined that some of these bottles contained morphine and codeine. After these items were found, two investigators from the Office of Special Investigation were called in and they secured search-and-seize authority from the Air Force, and the entire apartment was searched. However, nothing was found in the property belonging exclusively to the defendant, Erdman. At this point in the search, the officers had the defendant, Erdman, remove his jacket and shirt, and punctures on the front part of both of his arms were noticed.

On the basis of the above, the defendant, Erdman, was arrested on a charge of possessing narcotic drugs. He was convicted by a jury and was sentenced to serve a one- to five-year term in the State Penitentiary. From the judgment of conviction and from the order denying motion for directed verdict of acquittal, the defendant takes this appeal.

The first issue raised by this appeal is whether the arrest of Kulisich for burglary *875 of the Service Drug Store in Minot was a legal arrest.

Generally, no search may be conducted of the premises of a person to be charged for violation of law without a search warrant. Our law provides that such search warrant may be issued only upon probable cause, supported by sworn testimony or by an affidavit naming or describing the person to be charged, and particularly describing the property and the place to be searched. Sec. 29-29-03, N.D.C.C.

However, there are certain exceptions to the requirement that a search may be made only pursuant to a search warrant’s being issued. One of such exceptions is when the search is made and conducted incident to a lawful arrest. Searches and seizures incident to a lawful arrest have long been recognized, allowed, and approved. Harris v. United States, 331 U.S. 145, 67 S.Ct. 1098, 91 L.Ed. 1399 (1947). Thus, if the evidence against the defendant, Erdman, was discovered incident to the making of a lawful arrest, the evidence was lawfully obtained and its use against the defendant, Erdman, was proper. But the arrest must be a valid arrest, and mere pretense of an arrest may not be used as an excuse to conduct a search without a valid search warrant. Harris v. United States, supra.

It is admitted by the State in this case that the evidence against the defendant, Erdman, was discovered without the use of a search warrant. A search and seizure may survive constitutional prohibitions only upon a showing by the State that the surrounding facts and circumstances bring it within one of the exceptions to the rule that a search must rest upon a valid search warrant. Rios v. United States, 364 U.S. 253, 80 S.Ct. 1431, 4 L.Ed.2d 1688 (1960).

Here, the State asserts that the arrest of Kulisich was a valid arrest and that the evidence against the defendant, Erdman, was discovered during a reasonable search incident to such lawful arrest. There is no formula for determining the reasonableness of a search under the Federal or the State constitutional forbiddance of unreasonable searches and seizures, as prohibited by the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and by Section 18 of the North Dakota Constitution. Each case must stand or fall upon its own facts and circumstances. State v. Chaussee, 138 N.W.2d 788 (N.D.1965).

From what we have said, it will appear that not all searches without a search warrant are illegal. Only those which are ■unreasonable, under the facts and circumstances surrounding the search, are prohibited by the Constitution. Davis v. United States, 327 F.2d 301 (9th Cir.1964). Therefore, whether the search of the room of the defendant, Erdman, was valid depends entirely upon whether it was made pursuant to a lawful arrest of Kulisich.

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Bluebook (online)
170 N.W.2d 872, 1969 N.D. LEXIS 84, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-erdman-nd-1969.