State v. Grady

817 S.E.2d 18, 259 N.C. App. 664
CourtCourt of Appeals of North Carolina
DecidedMay 15, 2018
DocketCOA17-12
StatusPublished
Cited by47 cases

This text of 817 S.E.2d 18 (State v. Grady) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Grady, 817 S.E.2d 18, 259 N.C. App. 664 (N.C. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinions

CALABRIA, Judge.

*664Torrey Grady ("defendant") appeals from the trial court's order determining that satellite-based monitoring ("SBM") of defendant is a *665reasonable search under the Fourth Amendment. After careful review, we conclude that the State failed to prove the reasonableness of imposing SBM for defendant's lifetime. Accordingly, we reverse. *21I. Factual and Procedural Background

In 1997, defendant pleaded no contest to a second-degree sex offense, and in 2006, he pleaded guilty to taking indecent liberties with a child. The trial court never made an SBM determination at either of defendant's sentencing hearings for these offenses. However, on 14 May 2013, the trial court held an SBM "bring-back" hearing pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-208.40B (2017). The court found that defendant's convictions were both "sexually violent offenses" pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-208.6(5), and therefore, defendant met the criteria of a "recidivist" under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-208.6(2b). Accordingly, the trial court ordered defendant to enroll in SBM for the remainder of his natural life, as required by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-208.40B(c).

Defendant appealed that order to this Court, arguing that SBM violated his right to freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures, as provided by the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. In an unpublished decision filed 6 May 2014, we affirmed the trial court's order, concluding that we were bound by our Court's rejection of a nearly identical argument in State v. Jones , 231 N.C. App. 123, 750 S.E.2d 883 (2013). State v. Grady , 233 N.C. App. 788, 759 S.E.2d 712 (2014) (unpublished). After our Supreme Court dismissed defendant's appeal and denied discretionary review, State v. Grady , 367 N.C. 523, 762 S.E.2d 460 (2014), the United States Supreme Court granted defendant's petition for writ of certiorari.

The United States Supreme Court held that despite its civil nature, North Carolina's SBM program "effects a Fourth Amendment search." Grady v. North Carolina , 575 U.S. ----, ----, 135 S.Ct. 1368, 1371, 191 L.Ed.2d 459, 462 (2015) (per curiam). However, since "[t]he Fourth Amendment prohibits only unreasonable searches[,]" the Supreme Court remanded the case for North Carolina courts to "examine whether the State's monitoring program is reasonable-when properly viewed as a search ...." Id . at ----, 135 S.Ct. at 1371, 191 L.Ed.2d at 463.

On 16 June 2016, the trial court held a remand hearing on the reasonableness of defendant's lifetime enrollment in SBM. Officer Scott Pace, a probation supervisor for the Department of Public Safety, Division of Adult Correction, testified as the State's sole witness at the hearing. In addition to Officer Pace's testimony, the State presented photographs of the SBM equipment currently used to monitor offenders; certified copies *666of the two sex offense judgments; and defendant's criminal record. At the close of the State's evidence, defendant moved for a directed verdict and dismissal, arguing that the State had failed to prove that SBM is a reasonable search under the Fourth Amendment. See State v. Blue , --- N.C. App. ----, ----, 783 S.E.2d 524, 527 (2016) (concluding that "the State shall bear the burden of proving that the SBM program is reasonable"). In response, the State offered arguments about the dangers of recidivism and the State's interest in protecting the public from sex offenders. After considering both parties' arguments, the trial court denied defendant's motion for a directed verdict. Defendant then presented evidence, but did not testify, and subsequently renewed his motion for judgment as a matter of law. The trial court determined that it would rule on defendant's motion out of term, subject to the parties' submission of briefs.

On 26 August 2016, the trial court entered an order concluding that (1) based on the totality of the circumstances, SBM of defendant is a reasonable search; and (2) the SBM statute is facially constitutional. Defendant appeals.

II. Standard of Review

"An appellate court reviews conclusions of law pertaining to a constitutional matter de novo." State v. Bowditch , 364 N.C. 335, 340, 700 S.E.2d 1, 5 (2010) (citation omitted). "The trial court's findings of fact are binding on appeal if they are supported by competent evidence, and they must ultimately support the trial court's conclusions of law." Id. (citation and quotation marks omitted).

III. Constitutionality

The Fourth Amendment, applied to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment, *22protects "[t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures" by the government. U.S. Const. amend. IV. It is clear that SBM "effects a Fourth Amendment search." Grady , 575 U.S.

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Bluebook (online)
817 S.E.2d 18, 259 N.C. App. 664, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-grady-ncctapp-2018.