State v. Muñoz

2008 NMCA 090, 144 N.M. 350
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 21, 2008
DocketNo. 26,956
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 2008 NMCA 090 (State v. Muñoz) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Muñoz, 2008 NMCA 090, 144 N.M. 350 (N.M. Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

OPINION

WECHSLER, Judge.

{1} The central issue in this appeal is whether Defendant Daniel Muñoz, a passenger on a bus, was subjected to an unlawful search that was not performed with his valid consent. During an inspection of the cargo of the bus at a checkpoint, a trained dog alerted to a bag that was ultimately linked to Defendant. Law enforcement agents subsequently questioned Defendant, asking him to empty his pockets and remove his shoes. We affirm the district court’s findings that (1) Defendant was not in custody at the time of the agents’ questioning so as to invoke Defendant’s rights under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution and (2) Defendant voluntarily responded to the agents’ requests. We further hold that Defendant did not preserve the arguments that he raises on appeal concerning alleged violations of the New Mexico Constitution. We affirm.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

{2} Defendant entered a conditional plea of no contest after his trial resulted in a mistrial and the district court granted the State’s motion for reconsideration of its previous order suppressing evidence. At the trial, the State presented the testimony of Agents Douglas Kubos and Carlos Medina of the United States Border Patrol. Agent Kubos testified that he was assigned to the Highway 54 checkpoint on May 11, 2005. Defendant was a passenger on a bus operated by a commercial bus line. As part of a systematic search at the checkpoint, Agent Kubos inspected the cargo area of the bus with a dog trained to detect odors. The dog alerted to a black duffel bag marked with a tag number. Agents went through the aisle of the bus asking if the bag belonged to anyone on the bus. When no one claimed the bag, they considered it abandoned and opened it. They found fifteen “little wrapped bundles” consistent with narcotics smuggling. Field testing indicated that the bundles contained marijuana. A forensic scientist testified to confirm the content of the bundles.

{3} Agent Medina testified that the bus company maintained a list matching ticket stubs with passenger seat numbers and that Defendant was seated in seat number 33, which was the seat that matched the ticket stub for the black duffel bag. He then testified that Defendant was therefore detained for further investigation and asked to empty his pockets and take off his shoes for safety reasons. Subsequently, outside the presence of the jury, Defendant’s counsel argued to the district court that after the agents’ request, the agents seized the ticket stub corresponding to the black duffel bag that Defendant produced from his shoe, the agents arrested Defendant, and Defendant gave a statement. In response, the district court ruled that the search that led to Defendant’s production of the ticket stub was illegal and suppressed Defendant’s statement. Because there was concern that there had been testimony about Defendant’s statement, the district court also declared a mistrial.

{4} About a month later, the State filed a motion asking the district court to reconsider its suppression order. The State asserted that although Agent Medina stated that he asked Defendant to empty his pockets and remove his shoes for safety purposes, he could not remember the reason for the request and was only guessing. According to the State, the arresting agent was Hugo Gonzales, who was unavailable for trial because “he had changed jobs and moved.”

{5} The district court held a hearing on the State’s motion at which Agent Gonzales testified. He testified that Defendant was the only passenger who did not present a baggage ticket stub. When he questioned Defendant on the bus, Defendant was sweating profusely, shied away from him, and gave evasive answers. Based on the information connecting the duffel bag to Defendant’s seat and Defendant’s demeanor, Agent Gonzales asked him to step off the bus in order to be able to speak with him more privately. Once off the bus, Agent Gonzales told Defendant the facts that he had learned. He testified that Defendant “looked down” and “looked defeated” in reaction. Specifically, he stated, “[Defendant] just looked down, dropped his shoulders, his head went down to the ground.” At that point, Agent Gonzales asked Defendant, “Would you please — would you empty out your pockets for us?” Defendant complied, and Agent Gonzales then asked Defendant “if he would remove his shoes.” When he did, the ticket stub came out of one of his shoes. Agent Gonzales testified that he did not order Defendant to take any action and that Defendant’s actions were voluntary. He testified that if Defendant had refused to comply with the request, he would have sought a search warrant. After he found the ticket stub and again confronted Defendant with the facts, Defendant admitted that the drugs were his.

{6} Ultimately, the district court ruled that (1) the stop and inspection of the bus were free from impropriety, (2) the agents’ focus on Defendant was reasonable, (3) the detention was reasonable and supported by probable cause, and (4) Defendant was free to leave during the questioning. As to the search and statements, the district court found that Defendant’s actions when he emptied his pockets and removed his shoes were voluntary and that the statements that he subsequently made were not connected to an illegal search.

LAWFULNESS OF THE SEARCH

{7} Defendant argues on appeal that the agents engaged in an unlawful search in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution that resulted in the agents obtaining the baggage ticket stub and ultimately Defendant’s admission of guilt. According to Defendant, the agents subjected him to an unlawful custodial interrogation because they did not advise him of his rights under Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966). As a consequence of this Fifth Amendment violation, Defendant argues that “any alleged consent given following the custodial interrogation was tainted.” Alternatively, Defendant contends that his Fourth Amendment rights were violated because the evidence does not support the district court’s finding that he consented to the search of his person.

Interrogation by Agents

{8} With regard to the agents’ interrogation, Defendant asserts that he was in custody from the time that Agent Gonzales approached him while he was seated on the bus, stood over him, blocked him in his seat, and confronted him with the facts as Agent Gonzales understood them. He further contends that he was in custody when the agents asked him to leave the bus for further questioning. At the very least, Defendant asserts that he was in custody when, outside the bus, Agent Gonzales “told” him to empty his pockets and take off his shoes. Because the agents did not advise Defendant of his Miranda rights until they subsequently took him “into the checkpoint,” Defendant claims that the entire encounter was tainted, requiring suppression of the baggage ticket stub and his subsequent confession.

{9} Defendant’s Fifth Amendment argument raises a mixed question of law and fact. State v. Javier M., 2001-NMSC-030, ¶ 17, 131 N.M. 1, 33 P.3d 1. We review the district court’s factual determinations for substantial evidence and its application of the law to the facts under the de novo standard of review. State v. Munoz, 1998-NMSC-048, ¶ 39, 126 N.M. 535, 972 P.2d 847.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2008 NMCA 090, 144 N.M. 350, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-munoz-nmctapp-2008.