State v. Herhal

307 A.2d 553, 1973 Del. Super. LEXIS 171
CourtSuperior Court of Delaware
DecidedMay 17, 1973
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 307 A.2d 553 (State v. Herhal) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Herhal, 307 A.2d 553, 1973 Del. Super. LEXIS 171 (Del. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinion

QUILLEN, Judge:

The defendant, Andrew J. Herhal, petitioned this court for a Rule 35(a) hearing. Superior Court Criminal Rule 35(a), Del. C.Ann. An evidentiary hearing was held on February 20, 1973 to consider the sole question of the validity of the issuance and execution of the search warrants involved.

The history of this case is extensive. Petitioner was first convicted in this court of first degree murder of Sally Deputy in October, 1966. An appeal was taken, and the Supreme Court reversed and remanded the case for a new trial. Herhal v. State, Del.Supr., 243 A.2d 703 (1968). Petitioner was again tried on a charge of second degree murder on November 18, 1968, but the trial resulted in a hung jury. A third trial followed, and petitioner was convicted of second degree murder on May 7, 1969. A life sentence was imposed. Upon appeal to the Supreme Court, the conviction was affirmed. Herhal v. State, Del.Supr., 283 A.2d 482 (1971). Finally, a petition to the District Court for a writ of habeas corpus was denied on November 30, 1971. United States ex rel. Herhal v. Anderson, 334 F.Supp. 733 (D.Del., 1971). The petitioner again specifically challenges the admission into evidence of the soil sample.

Petitioner raises two basic questions: (1) was the warrant for the search of his car properly issued and executed ? and *555 (2) did he consent to the search of his car?

There have been several letter memoran-da considered by the Court. The Court will comment on the key points touched upon by the letters.

Initially, the State argues that petitioner’s motion is barred. In essence, the State contends that the alleged illegality of the issuance and execution of the search warrants should have been raised by a motion to suppress, and that petitioner’s failure to do so prevents their assertion at this time. Petitioner asserts that he was unaware of the now asserted grounds at the time of trial and that he only first became aware of such subsequent to his trial and appeals therefrom. The precise issue, therefore, is whether petitioner has waived his right to raise the present constitutional attack as to the legality of the searches.

I believe that petitioner has waived this right through his failure to raise the issue during the trial and on appeal. Petitioner was represented by counsel at both times, who chose not to raise the search warrant issue. While claims of ineffective counsel have been more frequent in recent years, the record will show that this case was vigorously and ably defended. There is no reason to believe that counsel did not reasonably evaluate this basic matter.

Furthermore, petitioner’s assertion that he just became aware of the alleged illegality of the searches is ineffective in light of the fact that he knew of the search warrants and car search and even a layman knows that police searches in this country are subject to constitutional limitations. The defendant had a duty to inquire at that time. A cursory reading of the affidavits submitted in support of issuance of the warrants reveals the incidents of April 26, 1966 now relied upon. And, the return clearly indicated that the search of petitioner’s car was not concluded until nighttime. I find petitioner’s illegal seizure and search argument has been waived.

Independent of this finding of waiver, I also find petitioner’s arguments that the search warrant for the car was improperly issued and executed to be without merit.

Petitioner presents three arguments as to the search warrant question. It is first contended that the warrant of April 27, 1966 was illegally issued since probable cause for the issuance of the warrant was founded on information obtained by an illegal search conducted the previous day.

Testimony at the evidentiary hearing established that Sergeant James T. Lagarelli of the Delaware State Police had gone to the home of Joan Daley on the night of April 26, 1966 for the purpose of interviewing her. Gail Cirillo, with whom petitioner had lived with for several years although not legally married, was also at the Daley home and Sergeant Lagarelli inquired if she knew what petitioner was wearing on the day of the murder. She responded that petitioner had been wearing a certain shirt, pants and jacket when he left the house on the morning of the murder, but that petitioner did not have the jacket on when he returned home. Sergeant Lagarelli then asked if she had seen the jacket since the day of the murder, and she replied that it was in the trunk of the car. They then proceeded outside to the car (Gail Cirillo had possession of the car at the time) ; Gail Cirillo opened up the trunk; and Sergeant Lagarelli observed the jacket. The jacket was then returned to the trunk and Sergeant Lagarelli left.

Petitioner, on the basis of the above, argues that the search was illegal since Gail Cirillo could not consent to the search of the car of which he was the sole legal owner; that even is she could consent, the consent in the present case was not valid since Sergeant Lagarelli had not told Gail Cirillo that she could refuse to open the trunk; and that, as a result of this alleged illegal search, the warrant of April 27, 1966 for the search of his car was illegally issued since probable cause for issuance of the warrant was based on information obtained by the April 26, 1966 search.

*556 Petitioner’s argument is without merit. As to the question of Gail Cirillo’s ability to consent to the search, it has been established that a person who has control over a car may consent to a search which might incriminate him and/or someone else. United States v. Mallory, 460 F.2d 243 (10th Cir.1972); Leeper v. United States, 466 F.2d 281 (10th Cir.1971); United States v. Eldridge, 302 F.2d 463 (4th Cir.1962); United States v. Sferas, 210 F.2d 69 (7th Cir.1954), cert. denied, Skally v. United States, 347 U.S. 935, 74 S.Ct. 630, 98 L.Ed. 1086 (1954). There is no question that Gail Cirillo had control at the time; therefore, her consent is valid if voluntarily given.

The only attack on the voluntariness of the consent is that Sergeant Lagar-elli had not told Gail Cirillo that she could refuse permission to search. However, advice of the right to refuse permission to search without a search warrant is not a necessary prerequisite to the voluntariness of the consent. United States v. Mallory, supra; Leeper v. United States, supra; White v. United States, 444 F.2d 724 (10th Cir.1971); United States v. Goosbey, 419 F.2d 818 (6th Cir.1970); United States ex rel. Combs v. LaVallee, 417 F.2d 523 (2nd Cir.1969), cert. denied, 397 U.S. 1002, 90 S.Ct.

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307 A.2d 553, 1973 Del. Super. LEXIS 171, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-herhal-delsuperct-1973.