State v. Sears

13 Fla. Supp. 2d 42
CourtCircuit Court for the Judicial Circuits of Florida
DecidedAugust 15, 1985
DocketCase No. 85-2320-CF
StatusPublished

This text of 13 Fla. Supp. 2d 42 (State v. Sears) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Circuit Court for the Judicial Circuits of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Sears, 13 Fla. Supp. 2d 42 (Fla. Super. Ct. 1985).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

LOUIS SAFER, Circuit Judge.

The defendant filed a Motion to Dismiss and a Motion to Suppress, both based on investigatory tactics claimed to be in violation of 18 U.S.C., Section 1385 [18 USCS § 1385], commonly referred to as the “Posse Comitatus Act.”

A hearing was held at which the Court heard testimony of two witnesses called by the defendant and one called by the State.

The defendant called as witnesses Mr. Dorsey and Mr. Knutson, both of whom identified themselves as special agents in the Naval Investigative Services (NIS). NIS is primary investigative branch of Navy and investigates all felony type crimes. As NIS agents, both are [43]*43civilians employed by the Department of the Navy; both have offices at Naval Air Station; both are provided an official vehicle for their use. Mr. Dorsey testified that he was aware of the Posse Comitatus statute; the question was not asked of Mr. Knutson.

Neither of these witnesses has ever been deputized by the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office.

For about one year, a joint task force operated in this area, which was a combined effort of the Department of the Navy, Office of the Sheriff and State Attorney’s Office, to identify sellers of narcotics to Navy members and employees of the Navy. Numerous arrests were made as a result of the efforts of the task force.

In this case, a person was picked up for drug possession in a gate search. He agreed to assist NIS by becoming a confidential informer. The Cl mentioned the name of defendant to NIS. Defendant was unknown to NIS prior to this.

The Cl was introduced to Detective Bennett of the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office. The Cl introduced Detective Bennett to defendant.

Detective Bennett made two buys from the defendant, as alleged in the information. The buys occurred off the Naval base.

In connection with the buys, NIS provided the money and three agents who participated by providing surveillance and backup.

Following the buys, NIS agents Dorsey and Knutson escorted defendant from his office at Naval base to their office at the Naval base. They obtained a statement from defendant and took him to the Jacksonville Police Memorial Building, where he was arrested by an investigator for the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office.

Both witnesses acknowledge that Detective Bennett was the lead detective in the case.

The State’s witness was Detective Bennett who identified himself as the investigator in the case who purchased the drugs from the defendant.

Based upon that testimony, it is the contention of the defendant that the activities of the NIS agents were in violation of the aforementioned federal statute. The defendant concedes that it is possible for there to be some spirit of cooperation between the military authorities and civilian authorities with respect to control of crime that affects both, but claims in this case there was the pervasiveness of federal authority which violated the spirit and the intent of the law. Defendant urges the Court, as punishment to the State for its alleged violation of the federal [44]*44statute, to use its inherent power of the Court in granting both of the motions.

The Federal Statute

The law set forth in 18 U.S.C. Section 1385 [18 USCS § 1385], provides as follows:

Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws will be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than two years or both.

Posse Comitatus is defined in Black’s Law Dictionary as follows:

The law or force of the county. The entire population of a county above the age of 15, which a sheriff may summon to his assistance in certain cases; as to aid him in keeping the peace, in pursuing and arresting felons, etc.

Attempting to Understand the Statute

I. QUERY: Does the failure of the federal code to include Navy and Marines mean that activity by members of those branches of the Services would not come under the Act?

The case of United States v. Walden, 490 F.Rep.2d 372 (4th Circuit, 1974) holds that the failure to include the Navy and Marines in the text of the Posse Comitatus Act prohibiting the use of any Army or Air Force personnel to enforce civilian law does not indicate congressional approval of use of Navy or Marine personnel to enforce civilian laws for act is applicable to all of the armed services. In addition, Secretary of Navy Instructions 5400.12 regards the Posse Comitatus Act as a statement of federal policy to be followed by Department of Navy.

II. QUERY: What is the purpose of the Act?

Several cases have attempted to explain the Act. All agree that “the policy that military involvement in civilian law enforcement should be carefully restricted has deep roots in American history”. Walden

The Posse Comitatus Act was designed to prohibit the use of military personnel as agents for the enforcement of civil law. People v. Burden, 288 NW 2d 392 (Mich. App., 1979).

The legislative purpose of the Posse Comitatus Act is to preclude the direct active use of federal troops from assisting local law enforcement officers in carrying out their duties. Wrynn v. U.S., 200 F.Supp. 457 (ED N.Y., 1961), Gillars v. U.S., 182 F.2d 962 (D.C. Cir., 1950).

[45]*45The senators who drafted and debated the bill and President Hayes who signed the bill into law, were of the belief that 18 U.S.C. Section 1385 [18 USCS § 1385] made unlawful the use of federal military troops in the active role of direct law enforcement or execution of process. U.S. v. Red Feather, 392 F.Supp. (DSD, 1975).

Enacted in 1878 to limit allegedly excessive use of federal troops to preserve order and maintain the governments of Republican carpetbaggers in the southern states, the Act remains visible today. Its apparent purpose is to protect the military from overuse by local civil law enforcement authorities. It also protects civilians from being subject to the exercise of regulatory or presumptive military authority. Harker v. State, 637 P.2d 716, 719 (Alaska App. 1981).

The statute is limited to deliberate use of armed forces for the primary purpose of executing civilian laws more effectively than possible through civilian law enforcement channels, and . . . those situations where an act performed primarily for the purpose of insuring the accomplishment of the mission of the armed forces incidentally enhances the enforcement of civilian law do not violate the statute. Furman, Restrictions Upon Use of the Army Imposed by the Posse Comitatus Act, 1 Mil.L.Rev. 85, 128 (1960).

III. QUERY: What are some things the military can do that would not be in violation of the Act, and what activities are prohibited by the Act?

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Related

Evansville v. Dennett
161 U.S. 434 (Supreme Court, 1896)
Lee v. Florida
392 U.S. 378 (Supreme Court, 1968)
Gillars v. United States
182 F.2d 962 (D.C. Circuit, 1950)
Hubert v. State
1972 OK CR 342 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1972)
Harker v. State
637 P.2d 716 (Court of Appeals of Alaska, 1981)
Wrynn v. United States
200 F. Supp. 457 (E.D. New York, 1961)
United States v. Red Feather
392 F. Supp. 916 (D. South Dakota, 1975)
Irons v. Fort Worth Sand & Gravel Co.
260 S.W.2d 629 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1953)
People v. Burden
288 N.W.2d 392 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1979)
State v. Maier
366 So. 2d 501 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1979)

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Bluebook (online)
13 Fla. Supp. 2d 42, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-sears-flacirct-1985.