State v. Jaroma

625 A.2d 1049, 137 N.H. 143, 1993 N.H. LEXIS 54
CourtSupreme Court of New Hampshire
DecidedApril 28, 1993
DocketNo. 91-259
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 625 A.2d 1049 (State v. Jaroma) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of New Hampshire primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Jaroma, 625 A.2d 1049, 137 N.H. 143, 1993 N.H. LEXIS 54 (N.H. 1993).

Opinion

Thayer, J.

The defendant, Al Jaroma, was convicted of receiving stolen property after a jury trial in Superior Court (Dunn, J.). On appeal, the defendant argues that the trial court erred (1) in not suppressing evidence from a search of the defendant’s garage because the affidavit in support of the search warrant contained reckless or intentional material misrepresentations of fact and because information contained in the affidavit was obtained as a result of two prior illegal searches; (2) in not suppressing statements made by the defendant to a third party during a telephone conversation in the presence of defense counsel that was overheard by a police officer; (3) in not suppressing statements made by the defendant to a police officer while the defendant was in custody after having been arraigned; (4) in not suppressing statements made by the defendant to a police officer three weeks after his arraignment; and (5) in not charging the jury as the defendant requested. We affirm.

After receiving a tip from Mark Eaton, a colleague of the defendant, that Jaroma’s rented garage stall contained stolen property, Goffstown police applied for a warrant to search the garage. The search warrant was issued and executed, resulting in Jaroma’s arrest. On July 26, 1984, Goffstown Police Officer Susan LeBel, who was not actively involved in the case, transported Jaroma from Manchester to the Goffstown District Court for arraignment. Jaroma filled out a fingerprint information form, but left blank the line for indicating use of an alias. LeBel then read Jaroma the warnings required by Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966), and he indicated that he understood those rights.

While awaiting arraignment, Jaroma and his counsel conferred in the presence of Officer Gary Shreve. The defendant asked Shreve if he could use the phone and Shreve allowed the request. In the presence of both his lawyer and Shreve, the defendant called someone named “Al.” Jaroma told A1 that the police had found the garage he rented, that he would probably have to go to court, and that the police would somehow have to find out about the rest of the “stuff” (the stolen property of which Jaroma claimed to have no knowledge).

[146]*146After being arraigned, Jaroma was taken back to the police department by Officer LeBel, who reviewed the commitment order from the court indicating that Jaroma used the alias of “A1 Halston.” LeBel sat across a table from Jaroma and read the words, “A1 Jaroma a/k/a A1 Halston,” from the commitment order and then looked at the fingerprint form. Jaroma then explained that he needed to use an alias to rent the garage because he had been arrested and felt “his own name was bad.” After the explanation, LeBel verified Jaroma’s birth date and address and transported him back to jail.

On August 13,1984, Jaroma called the Manchester Police Department and asked to meet with Captain Paul Brodeur. Brodeur had participated in executing the search warrant and was aware that Jaroma had been arrested and arraigned. Later that day, Jaroma met with Brodeur and told him that the police were “barking up the wrong tree regarding the incident in Goffstown” and that Mark Eaton was responsible for any stolen property in the Goffstown garage stall rented by Jaroma. Jaroma spoke for approximately seventy minutes giving his rendition of the events culminating in his arrest. These statements were made voluntarily and were not in response to any questions asked by Brodeur. After Jaroma finished his soliloquy, Brodeur warned him of his rights under Miranda and asked him if he understood those rights. Jamoma indicated that he “knew them very well” and continued to speak with Brodeur and answered questions.

The defendant’s motion to suppress his conversations with LeBel and Brodeur, and the conversation overheard by Shreve, was denied. The defendant also moved to suppress the fruits of the search, arguing that the affidavit in support of the search warrant contained intentional or reckless misrepresentations, and that information in the affidavit was obtained from two prior illegal searches. This motion was denied.

After his first trial ended in a mistrial, the defendant was retried on a single, consolidated information and was convicted in October 1988. On appeal, the defendant first contends that the superior court erred in denying his two motions to suppress, relying on both the State and Federal Constitutions. We will address the defendant’s State claims first and turn to federal claims only if federal law provides additional protections. State v. Ball, 124 N.H. 226, 232, 471 A.2d 347, 351 (1983).

We first address the argument that the affidavit in support of the search warrant for the garage stall did not establish probable cause because it contained intentional or reckless misrepresentations. In [147]*147his affidavit in support of the search warrant, Officer Michael French of the Goffstown Police Department stated:

“12) Captain Gobin of the Goffstown Police Department speaks with Captain Brodeur of the Manchester Police Department who advises that a burglary [occurred] at the office of Attorney Tom Wingate on January 28,1984. Reported stolen in this burglary was a Panasonic VCR. A1 Jaroma is suspected in this burglary.
13) On January 8,1984 a burglary was reported to the Manchester Police Department by JW Sowden Associates. Reported stolen in this burglary were the following items. (See Attached List). A1 Jaroma is suspected in this burglary, due to Modus Operandi and types of items stolen.
14) On June 25, 1984 a burglary was reported by Calverts Furniture Store to the Londonderry Police Department. Reported stolen in this burglary were numerous pieces of furniture. (see attached list) A1 Jaroma is suspected in this burglary, due to Modus Operandi and types of items stolen.”

The defendant made a previous attack on these same paragraphs through an interlocutory appeal, arguing that they were conclusory and did not establish probable cause. We rejected this argument in State v. Jaroma, 128 N.H. 423, 514 A.2d 1274 (1986). The defendant now contends that these statements are material misrepresentations made intentionally or recklessly because the police reports on the burglaries referred to above did not name the defendant as a suspect. “The appropriate focus in attacking a facially valid warrant on the ground that it contains misrepresentations is whether it contains misrepresentations made by the affiant, the police officer.” State v. Carroll, 131 N.H. 179, 191, 552 A.2d 69, 76 (1988); see also Rugendorf v. United States, 376 U.S. 528, 533 (1964). The question before us is whether the affiant made intentional or reckless misrepresentations.

Although we question the defendant’s contention that because he was not named in the police reports he therefore could not be considered a suspect, we will assume that the statements that Jaroma was suspected in the three burglaries were intentional or reckless misrepresentations of material facts.

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Bluebook (online)
625 A.2d 1049, 137 N.H. 143, 1993 N.H. LEXIS 54, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-jaroma-nh-1993.