State v. Whiteley

858 P.2d 800, 124 Idaho 261, 1993 Ida. App. LEXIS 107
CourtIdaho Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 9, 1993
Docket19503
StatusPublished
Cited by99 cases

This text of 858 P.2d 800 (State v. Whiteley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho 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. Whiteley, 858 P.2d 800, 124 Idaho 261, 1993 Ida. App. LEXIS 107 (Idaho Ct. App. 1993).

Opinion

SWANSTROM, Judge.

Michael Whiteley was convicted by a jury of first degree kidnapping and rape. I.C. §§ 18-4501, 18-4502, 18-6101. He was sentenced to a minimum period of confinement of twelve years on each count with a maximum period of twenty-five years on the rape count and a maximum life term on the first degree kidnapping count. Whiteley claims that the district court erred by denying a supplemental motion to suppress which sought to exclude evidence found in his duffel bag and his pretrial statement to a law enforcement officer. Next, Whiteley asserts that the court erred by not admitting into evidence taped telephone conversations between Whiteley and the victim. Finally, Whiteley asserts that the record lacks sufficient evidence to support his convictions. This final issue on appeal requires us to examine the evidence supporting the convictions, thus we will explore the facts in more detail below. We affirm the judgments of conviction.

The victim and Whiteley had a vacillating relationship. They first met in August, 1990, a month after Whiteley had left his wife and shortly after the victim had come to this country. The victim cleaned Whiteley’s house, and the two began seeing each other socially. In September, 1990, the victim filed for a civil protection order (CPO) against Whiteley to prevent him from coming near her. Three days later, the court dismissed the CPO pursuant to *264 the victim’s request. 1 They married in October, 1990. Later that same month, the victim left Whiteley and obtained an annulment. In November, 1990, the victim filed for another CPO against Whiteley, which was granted. She filed aggravated assault charges in December, but later requested that they be dropped.

Whiteley and the victim went to Utah three times in January, 1991. The victim testified that these trips were against her will. The final trip, which was on January 15, gives rise to the charges for which Whiteley was convicted. After they had returned to Idaho Falls, the police arrested Whiteley for violation of the CPO. Although the police arrested him for a CPO violation, after questioning the victim and Whiteley and discovering physical evidence at the scene of the arrest, he was charged with and convicted of rape and first degree kidnapping.

I. SUPPLEMENTAL MOTION TO SUPPRESS

After he had filed a motion to suppress which was granted and is not at issue in this appeal, Whiteley filed a supplemental motion to suppress evidence found in his duffel bag and statements made to a law enforcement officer after his arrest. The district court found that Whiteley had consented to the search of his duffel bag. The court also found that Whiteley was not in custody during the officer’s initial questioning, and further, that Whiteley had knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily waived his Miranda 2 rights after his arrest. As a result, the court denied the supplemental motion to suppress.

Whiteley maintains that he did not consent to the search of his duffel bag, that the search was not conducted pursuant to a valid arrest, and that the search exceeded the scope of searches authorized under ease law for weapons or where the law enforcement officer reasonably believes that evidence may be destroyed. The other portion of the supplemental motion to suppress attempted to prevent the introduction of statements made by Whiteley to a law enforcement officer after his arrest. Whiteley contends that the arrest was invalid and that the statements are too closely connected to the arrest.

We recently addressed the standard of review we apply in appeals from orders denying motions to suppress. State v. Aitken, 121 Idaho 783, 828 P.2d 346 (Ct.App.1992). Where findings of fact are supported by substantial evidence, we will not disturb them; however, we freely review the trial court’s determination as to whether constitutional requirements are satisfied in light of the facts. State v. Weber, 116 Idaho 449, 776 P.2d 458 (1989).

A. Evidence in Duffel Bag

The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution, made applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment, and Art. 1, § 17 of the Idaho Constitution guarantee people to be secure from unreasonable searches and seizures. A search of a person or of one’s belongings is generally unreasonable unless a valid warrant exists or unless the facts authorize the application of a judicially recognized exception to the warrant requirement. State v. Rusho, 110 Idaho 556, 716 P.2d 1328 (Ct.App.1986) (citing Coolidge v. New Hampshire, 403 U.S. 443, 91 S.Ct. 2022, 29 L.Ed.2d 564 (1971)). Consent is an established exception to the warrant and probable cause requirements. Schneckloth v. Bustamonte, 412 U.S. 218 (1973). The state must show that the consent was free and voluntary and not a result of duress or coercion, either direct or implied. Id. The voluntariness of a defendant’s consent to search is to be determined in light of all of the circumstances. Id.; State v. Aitken, 121 Idaho at 784, 828 P.2d at 347.

The officer who arrested Whiteley testified at the suppression hearing that when called to the victim’s residence on January 16, he was aware there had been problems between Whiteley and the victim *265 and was aware that a CPO existed barring contact between the two. The officer testified that en route to the victim’s house, he had asked the dispatcher to confirm that the CPO was still valid and was told that it was. When the officer arrived at the scene, the victim, her mother, another man, and Whiteley were all outside. He told the other man, the victim and her mother to go inside the house while he questioned Whiteley. After another officer arrived, the first officer went into the house to talk to the victim and the other two. The victim told the officer that Whiteley had forcibly taken her to Utah and raped her. She also told the officer that Whiteley had threatened her with a stun gun and handcuffs which she said were in his duffel bag.

Throughout this time Whiteley was holding a duffel bag, a briefcase and a pillow. He wanted to set these items down; however, there was snow on the ground. The second officer offered to allow Whiteley to place the items into a patrol car, and Whiteley agreed. When the first officer came back out, he arrested Whiteley for violation of the CPO. After handcuffing Whiteley, but before he placed him in the patrol car, the officer asked him if he could search his bags. The officer testified at the suppression hearing that Whiteley had agreed to the search. However, Whiteley testified at the hearing that he had refused the officer’s request to search his bags. The evidence found in Whiteley’s duffel bag consisted of a “stun gun” or shocking device and a pair of handcuffs.

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Bluebook (online)
858 P.2d 800, 124 Idaho 261, 1993 Ida. App. LEXIS 107, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-whiteley-idahoctapp-1993.