State v. Smith

782 N.W.2d 913, 279 Neb. 918
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedMay 28, 2010
DocketS-09-375
StatusPublished
Cited by55 cases

This text of 782 N.W.2d 913 (State v. Smith) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Smith, 782 N.W.2d 913, 279 Neb. 918 (Neb. 2010).

Opinion

782 N.W.2d 913 (2010)
279 Neb. 918

STATE of Nebraska, appellee,
v.
William E. SMITH, appellant.

No. S-09-375.

Supreme Court of Nebraska.

May 28, 2010.

*919 Kevin J. Oursland, Lincoln, for appellant.

Jon Bruning, Attorney General, and Nathan A. Liss for appellee.

WRIGHT, CONNOLLY, GERRARD, STEPHAN, McCORMACK, and MILLER-LERMAN, JJ.

GERRARD, J.

I. NATURE OF CASE

William E. Smith appeals his conviction for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Smith argues that the district court erred in denying his motion to suppress evidence of illegal drugs that was discovered in his pocket during a pat-down search outside a nightclub. There are two issues presented in this appeal: whether the evidence obtained was the product of a search within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment and, if so, whether the search was reasonable under the Fourth Amendment.

II. BACKGROUND

We have examined the record and find no clear error in the historical factual findings of the district court,[1] nor does either party take issue with the court's factual findings. The pertinent historical facts are as follows.

Force Protection Services, a private security company owned and operated by Joseph South, provided security outside the Manhattan Club (the Club), a dance club in Omaha, Nebraska. Pursuant to a contract with the Club, Force Protection Services was to conduct a pat-down search of every patron for narcotics or weapons before they entered the Club. At the entrance of the Club is a sign stating that patrons are subject to a pat down and search. It is not uncommon for people in line, who observe the pat down, to get out of line and go back to their car. In addition to Force Protection Services, supplemental police officers are present, pursuant to an agreement with the Club.

On the night of the arrest, the Club was featuring the performance of a local diskjockey, and South and Calvin Harper, a uniformed and armed off-duty police officer, were providing security outside the Club. Smith and his cousin walked up to the Club's entrance. After Smith's cousin was patted down and permitted entry, he turned to Smith and said, "[S]orry, I forgot they pat down." South started to pat down Smith and felt a bulge in Smith's left front pocket.

South started to place his hand toward Smith's pocket and asked Smith twice what was in his front pocket, but Smith did not answer. Smith grabbed South's wrist to prevent South from reaching into his pocket. South instructed Smith to keep his hands in the air. South reached for Smith's pocket again, and again, Smith *920 pushed South's hand away. Harper intervened at that point and told Smith to keep his hands in the air. Harper placed his arm under Smith's wrist, and South reached into Smith's pocket. South pulled out three cellophane bags containing pills that appeared to be "MDMA," also known as Ecstasy, a Schedule I controlled substance.[2] South handed the bags to Harper, who completed the search and arrested Smith.

The State filed an information charging Smith with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.[3] Smith filed a motion to suppress alleging that he was unlawfully searched and arrested in violation of the U.S. and Nebraska Constitutions. After a hearing, the district court denied Smith's motion to suppress, and thereafter, a bench trial based on the stipulated facts was held. Smith renewed the objections raised in his motion to suppress. The district court found Smith guilty of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and sentenced him to 3 to 5 years' imprisonment. Smith appeals.

III. ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR

Smith assigns that the district court erred in finding the warrantless search was reasonable.

IV. STANDARD OF REVIEW

In reviewing a trial court's ruling on a motion to suppress based on a claimed violation of the Fourth Amendment, we apply a two-part standard of review.[4] Regarding historical facts, we review the trial court's findings for clear error.[5] But whether those facts trigger or violate Fourth Amendment protections is a question of law that we review independently of the trial court's determination.[6]

V. ANALYSIS

The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and article I, § 7, of the Nebraska Constitution guarantee against unreasonable search and seizure.[7] We note that we have not construed article I, § 7, of the Nebraska Constitution to provide greater rights than those afforded a defendant by the Fourth Amendment.[8] Smith argues that in this case, the district court erred in finding that the search was reasonable. Before we address the reasonableness of the search, however, we must address whether the search came under the purview of the Fourth Amendment or article I, § 7. The State claims it did not.

1. SMITH WAS SEARCHED WITHIN MEANING OF FOURTH AMENDMENT

The State's primary argument is that Smith was searched by South, a private actor, not the government. But as a threshold matter, we first consider the State's argument that the Fourth Amendment is not implicated because Smith was not "searched" or "seized." We agree with the district court's conclusion that Smith was searched.

To determine whether an individual has an interest protected by the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Neb. Const. art. I, § 7, we must determine whether the individual has a legitimate or *921 justifiable expectation of privacy in the invaded place. Ordinarily, two inquiries are required. First, the individual must have exhibited an actual (subjective) expectation of privacy, and second, the expectation must be one that society is prepared to recognize as reasonable.[9]

For reasons that will be explained more fully below with respect to consent, Smith clearly exhibited an actual expectation of privacy. The State seems to be arguing that because Smith knew the Club patted down patrons, his expectation of privacy was unreasonable. But whether an expectation of privacy is reasonable does not turn on notice.[10] Rather, an expectation of privacy is reasonable if it has a source outside of the Fourth Amendment, either by reference to concepts of real or personal property law or to understandings that are recognized and permitted by society.[11]

We have little difficulty in concluding that Smith's expectation that the contents of his pockets were private was reasonable and that the invasion of that privacy was a search. Generally speaking, courts have implicitly assumed that an individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy with respect to those portions of his or her person that are hidden from public view, including hidden recesses in both one's clothing and body.[12] For example, rummaging through an individual's pockets and other inner recesses of one's clothing constitutes a Fourth Amendment search of the person.[13] Likewise, patting down an individual's outer clothing so as to discover hidden objects therein is also a Fourth Amendment search.[14] In this case, the evidence in question was retrieved from a location hidden from public view, namely Smith's pocket. Such a search is unquestionably a Fourth Amendment search.

2. SEARCH OF SMITH WAS GOVERNMENT SEARCH

Having concluded that a search took place, we turn next to whether the search was a government search. The Fourth Amendment to the U.S.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
782 N.W.2d 913, 279 Neb. 918, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-smith-neb-2010.