State v. LOINS, JR.

993 P.2d 1231, 26 Kan. App. 2d 624, 1999 Kan. App. LEXIS 1239
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedDecember 10, 1999
Docket80,330
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 993 P.2d 1231 (State v. LOINS, JR.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. LOINS, JR., 993 P.2d 1231, 26 Kan. App. 2d 624, 1999 Kan. App. LEXIS 1239 (kanctapp 1999).

Opinion

Gernon, J.:

Lee A. Loins, Jr., appeals his convictions for one count each of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. We affirm the marijuana conviction and reverse the drug paraphernalia conviction.

Police officers sought and obtained a search warrant for a trailer house in McPherson, including all persons present at the trailer when the warrant was executed. Officers found Loins in the bathroom when the warrant was executed, searched him, and found a cellophane wrapper containing marijuana in the watch pocket of his jeans.

The officers also recovered a pipe containing marijuana residue from one of the couches in the front room of the trailer.

*626 Loins was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Loins filed a motion to suppress the marijuana found in his possession, but the motion was denied. He waived his right to a jury trial and was found guilty on both counts by the trial court. Loins appeals both convictions.

Search Warrant

Loins argues that the warrant authorizing the search of all persons at the trailer house is unconstitutional because the affidavit did not supply sufficient information to support the conclusion that all of the people at the trailer were likely to have marijuana.

The State bears the burden of proving the lawfulness of a search and seizure at a hearing on a motion to suppress. State v. Vandiver, 257 Kan. 53, 57, 891 P.2d 350 (1995). When reviewing a trial court’s decision on a motion to suppress evidence, an appellate court gives great deference to the factual findings of the trial court. State v. DeMarco, 263 Kan. 727, 732, 952 P.2d 1276 (1998).

This court will not reweigh the evidence but will review the trial court’s findings to determine whether they are supported by substantial competent evidence. The ultimate determination of the suppression of evidence, however, is a question of law, requiring independent appellate determination. 263 Kan. at 732.

Here, the trial court noted that the facts were not in dispute. Consequently, there is no need to verily the trial court’s factual findings with substantial competent evidence. The remaining decision regarding the suppression of the evidence must be reviewed de novo. See 263 Kan. at 732.

When reviewing the validity of a search warrant, this court must determine whether the magistrate had a substantial basis for issuing it. State v. Gilbert, 256 Kan. 419, 422, 886 P.2d 365 (1994). A substantial basis for the warrant depends on whether probable cause existed under the totality of the circumstances. In making that determination, this court gives great deference to the magistrate’s determination. 256 Kan. at 422.

A magistrate is required to assess all of the circumstances presented and make a practical, common-sense decision about whether a crime has been committed or is in the process of being *627 committed and whether there is a fair likelihood that the evidence will be found in the place specified. 256 Kan. at 421.

Although general warrants are constitutionally prohibited, warrants authorizing the search of all persons at a location are not per se invalid. State v. Horn, 15 Kan. App. 2d 365, 366, 808 P.2d 438, rev. denied, 248 Kan. 998 (1991). The facts in the affidavit must infer that the sole or primary activity at the location is the sale of drugs and that everyone present would be involved in the illegal activity. See 15 Kan. App. 2d at 367.

The affidavit in this case stated: (1) that concerned neighbors reported drug activity at the trailer; (2) that a lot of juveniles visited the trailer; (3) that a least a dozen cars would arrive and leave over the course of an evening; (4) that a lot of parties occurred in which mainly marijuana was consumed; (5) that Loins was known to be at the parties; (6) that Lenny Landrum, the reported resident, had been arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia; (7) that Loins was convicted of possession of marijuana; (8) that an anonymous informant reported seeing marijuana in the trailer on numerous occasions; (9) that a Crime-Stopper tip reported marijuana sales at the trailer by Loins and two other individuals and that all three were living at the trailer; (10) that it is common for persons buying drugs to stay only a short time and leave with the drugs on their persons; and (11) that Loins was involved in trading sex for drugs at the trailer. All of the facts in the affidavit occurred or were reported from January 1996 until April 11, 1996, the day before the search warrant was issued.

Kansas has not determined what information is sufficient to infer that the primary activity at a location is the sale of drugs. Although the Horn court did not establish a basis for determining what is necessary for an all-persons warrant by reciting the facts in the affidavit, this court can compare the facts in this case to those found sufficient in other jurisdictions.

• .• Generally, an “all-persons” search warrant will be upheld when the affidavit includes information that the place to be searched is a private residence, that drug use and distribution occur at the place, and that there was a regular traffic of persons entering to make purchases. See, e.g., Commonwealth v. Smith, 370 Mass. 335, *628 339, 348 N.E.2d 101, cert. denied 429 U.S. 944 (1976) (upholding an all-persons warrant based on an affidavit that stated that occupants were selling drugs and that there was a regular traffic of persons entering to make purchases); State v. Hinkel, 365 N.W.2d 774, 775-76 (Minn. 1985) (finding probable cause for an all-persons warrant based on an affidavit that included complaints from neighbors about illegal activity at a house and information that illegal liquor sales occurred there); People v. Easterbrook, 43 App. Div. 2d 719, 720, 350 N.Y.S.2d 442 (1973), aff'd 35 N.Y.2d 913, 364 N.Y.S.2d 899, 324 N.E.2d 367, cert. denied 421 U.S. 965 (1974) (finding probable cause for an all-persons warrant based on statements in the affidavit indicating that drug sales and consumption occurred at the apartment); Com. v. Graciani, 381 Pa. Super. 626, 630, 554 A.2d 560 (1989) (finding that the confidential informant’s report of a drug sale at the private residence and the easily hidden characteristic of the contraband justified the all-persons warrant); Com. v. Heidelberg, 369 Pa. Super. 398, 407, 535 A.2d 611

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Bluebook (online)
993 P.2d 1231, 26 Kan. App. 2d 624, 1999 Kan. App. LEXIS 1239, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-loins-jr-kanctapp-1999.