State v. Steingraber

296 N.W.2d 543, 1980 S.D. LEXIS 385
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 17, 1980
Docket13017
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 296 N.W.2d 543 (State v. Steingraber) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota 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. Steingraber, 296 N.W.2d 543, 1980 S.D. LEXIS 385 (S.D. 1980).

Opinions

WOLLMAN, Chief Justice.

This is an intermediate appeal from an order suppressing certain evidence seized pursuant to a search warrant. We reverse and remand.

Acting pursuant to an informant’s tip regarding drug-related activity, a search warrant was obtained authorizing a search of a residence at 328 North Grand in Pierre. At approximately 7:30 on the evening of September 17, 1979, several law enforcement officers, led by Hughes County Deputy Sheriff Charles Vollmer, undertook to serve the warrant. The officers positioned themselves at various places around the house. Deputy Sheriff Vollmer and two other officers approached the front door of the residence.

The residence is a brick structure with an enclosed porch attached to the front. Entry to the porch is obtained through a screen door. Deputy Sheriff Vollmer opened the screen door without first knocking, whereupon he and the other two officers entered the porch and approached the front door to the living quarters. Finding this door open and observing two occupants in the living room, one in possession of a marijuana pipe and a tray of what appeared to be marijuana, Deputy Vollmer entered the living room, announcing his purpose to execute the search warrant almost simultaneously with his entry, although he could not recall whether the announcement was made before or after he stepped into the living room. Immediately after entering the living room and ordering the two occupants to be seated on the [545]*545couch, Deputy Vollmer handed a copy of the search warrant to defendant Myers, one of the occupants.

Defendant Myers’ affidavit in support of the motion to suppress states that upon looking up after hearing the screen door open he saw Deputy Vollmer standing in the living room waving a piece of paper and what appeared to be his badge and stating “this is the police, stay where you are, you are under arrest.”

SDCL 23A-35-8 states in part:

The officer executing a search warrant may break open any building, structure, or container or anything therein to execute the warrant if, after giving notice of his authority and purpose, he is refused admittance. .

As we stated in State v. Kietzke, 85 S.D. 502, 186 N.W.2d 551 (1971), this statute (then denominated as SDCL 23-15-14) is similar to 18 U.S.C.A. § 3109 and section 844 of the California Penal Code. As summarized by the Supreme Court of California in Duke v. Superior Court of Los Angeles, 1 Cal.3d 314, 82 Cal.Rptr. 348, 461 P.2d 628 (1969):

The purposes and policies underlying section 844 are four-fold: (1) the protection of the privacy of the individual in his home ... (2) the protection of innocent persons who may also be present on the premises where an arrest is made . (3) the prevention of situations which are conducive to violent confrontations between the occupant and individuals who enter his home without proper notice . . . and (4) the protection of police who might be injured by a startled and fearful householder.

82 Cal.Rptr. at 352-53, 461 P.2d at 632-33 (citations omitted). See also People v. Peterson, 9 Cal.3d 717, 108 Cal.Rptr. 835, 511 P.2d 1187 (1973), wherein the California Court pointed out that statutes requiring officers to announce their presence and purpose before demanding entry to execute a search warrant serve policies and purposes similar to statutes such as section 844 of the California Penal Code. 108 Cal.Rptr. 835, 839, n. 7, 511 P.2d 1187, 1191, n. 7.

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State v. Steingraber
296 N.W.2d 543 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1980)

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Bluebook (online)
296 N.W.2d 543, 1980 S.D. LEXIS 385, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-steingraber-sd-1980.