State v. Zimmerman

209 S.E.2d 350, 23 N.C. App. 396, 1974 N.C. App. LEXIS 2107
CourtCourt of Appeals of North Carolina
DecidedNovember 6, 1974
Docket7414SC614
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 209 S.E.2d 350 (State v. Zimmerman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Zimmerman, 209 S.E.2d 350, 23 N.C. App. 396, 1974 N.C. App. LEXIS 2107 (N.C. Ct. App. 1974).

Opinion

MARTIN, Judge.

Defendant has numerous assignments of error. First, defendant contends the trial court erred in allowing Officer Fuller to frequently characterize 604 Barnes Avenue as defendant’s “house” or “place of residence.” The record discloses a number of occasions in which defendant did not object to such a characterization. It is the well established rule that when evidence is admitted over objection but the same evidence has theretofore or thereafter been admitted without objection, the benefit of the objection is ordinarily lost. State v. Owens, 277 N.C. 697, 178 S.E. 2d 442 (1971). Furthermore, “Although the word ‘residence’ is in the nature of a conclusion, it is competent as a shorthand statement of fact describing where the officer went to execute the search warrant.” State v. Williams, 13 N.C. App. 423, 185 S.E. 2d 604 (1972).

Defendant’s second assignment of error relates to Officer Fuller’s testimony that defendant had run a red light. We fail *399 to see how a passing reference to a traffic violation adversely affected the result of this case. The burden is on defendant not only to show error hut also to show that the error complained of affected the result adversely to him. State v. Barrow, 6 N.C. App. 475, 170 S.E. 2d 568, aff'd. 276 N.C. 381, 172 S.E. 2d 512 (1970). This assignment of error is overruled.

Defendant contends the trial court erred in allowing testimony concerning a key taken from defendant’s car which opened the front door at 604 Barnes Avenue in that the key was obtained by an illegal search of the car. In the case at bar, Officer Ray observed a furtive movement by which defendant’s clinched fist put something down into the front seat of defendant’s car. This occurred as defendant and Officer Ray arrived at 604 Barnes Avenue. A furtive movement under certain circumstances can produce legal justification to search a car. Annot., 45 A.L.R. 3d 581 (1972). “ ‘Automobiles, because of their mobility, may be searched without a warrant upon facts not justifying a warrant-less search of a residence or office (citations omitted). The cases so holding have, however, always insisted that the officers conducting the search have ‘reasonable or probable cause’ to believe that they will find the instrumentality of a crime or evidence pertaining to a crime before they begin their warrantless search.’ Dyke v. Taylor Implement Manufacturing Co., 391 U.S. 216, 20 L.Ed. 2d 538, 88 S.Ct. 1472 (1968).” State v. Ratliff, 281 N.C. 397, 189 S.E. 2d 179 (1972). In State v. Allen, 282 N.C. 503, 194 S.E. 2d 9 (1973), the Court sets out circumstances under which a warrantless search may be conducted, and the Court states, “Third, a warrantless search of a vehicle capable of movement may be made by officers when they have probable cause to search and exigent circumstances make it impracticable to secure a search warrant. (Citations.) ”

Applying the foregoing rules to the facts of this case, we hold that Officer Ray seized the key pursuant to a lawful search. Defendant drove Officer Ray back to 604 Barnes Avenue, a residence which defendant had disowned, where defendant knew a search for marijuana was to be conducted. On voir dire examination, Officer Ray stated he saw defendant conceal something in the front seat of defendant’s car. Officer Ray said, “I then went around the other side of the car to see what item he had hidden. I found that he had stuck either one or two keys on a chain which appeared to be common lock-type keys, not a car key, like a house key or door lock key.” Thus, while lawfully *400 present in the car, Officer Ray discovered a key under circumstances where there was probable cause to believe such a key would be evidence of defendant’s guilt inasmuch as defendant had denied living at 604 Barnes Avenue. Defendant’s third assignment of error is overruled.

In his fourth assignment of error, defendant argues the trial court erred in allowing Officer Fuller to testify concerning the terminology used in connection with marijuana traffic in that such evidence was irrelevant and prejudicial. This assignment of error is overruled. “Strictly speaking, evidence is relevant if it has any logical tendency, however slight, to prove a fact in issue in the case.” 1 Stansbury, N. C. Evidence, Brandis’ Revision, § 77. In the case at bar, the defendant was charged with the felonious possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and Officer Fuller’s testimony that the bags of marijuana seized at 604 Barnes Avenue are known on the street as “ounce bags” is relevant to the issue of intent to distribute. See also State v. Covington, 22 N.C. App. 250, 206 S.E. 2d 361 (1974), where this Court discusses the competency of a police officer to testify concerning drug traffic in general.

As the fifth assignment of error, defendant argues the trial court erred in denying defendant’s motion to suppress the following evidence: cigarette wrapping papers, a smoking pipe, and a traffic citation issued to defendant. These items were seized at 604 Barnes Avenue under a search warrant which only authorized a search for marijuana. Thus, defendant presents the issue whether the trial court erred in admitting into evidence these items which were not particularly described in the search warrant under which authority they were seized. Defendant cites Marron v. United States, 275 U.S. 192, 72 L.Ed. 231, 48 S.Ct. 74 (1927), for the general rule that items not particularly described in a search warrant cannot be seized while executing that warrant. This general rule developed from the Fourth Amendment’s requirement that a warrant particularly describe the things to be seized. (A similar requirement is found in N.C.G.S. 15-26.) To be more precise, Marrón prohibits the seizure of one thing under a warrant describing another, subject to the exception that items not described in the warrant can be seized if they are instrumentalities or fruits of crime, or contraband. Narcotics paraphernalia is within the class of instrumentalities and means by which a crime is committed. United States v. Bridges, 419 F. 2d 963 (1969). Thus, it appears that *401 the papers and pipe were not inadmissible under Marrón. However, the traffic citation is merely evidence that defendant resided at' 604 Barnes Avenue, and, therefore, it does not fit within any exceptions to the general rule. The State contends that the traffic citation could be seized under the warrant for marijuana because the Court in Warden v. Hayden, 387 U.S. 294, 18 L.Ed. 2d 782, 87 S.Ct. 1642 (1967), eliminated the distinction between “mere evidence” and instrumentalities or fruits of crime.

The Court in Hayden permitted the seizure of. “mere evidence” during a search incident to a “hot pursuit” and arrest, that is, a lawful but warrantless search. It seems proper to hold thát Hayden

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Gonzalez
650 S.E.2d 674 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 2007)
State v. Brooks
324 S.E.2d 854 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1985)
State v. Estep
301 S.E.2d 398 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1983)
State v. Watts
307 N.W.2d 816 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1981)
State v. Harper
272 S.E.2d 600 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1980)
State v. Williams
257 S.E.2d 457 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1979)
State v. Smith
255 S.E.2d 210 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1979)
Martin Ex Rel. Martin v. Amusements of America, Inc.
247 S.E.2d 639 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1978)
State v. Richards
242 S.E.2d 844 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1978)
State v. Absher
237 S.E.2d 749 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1977)
State v. McNair
212 S.E.2d 229 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1975)
State v. Zimmerman
211 S.E.2d 800 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1975)
State v. Bagnard
210 S.E.2d 93 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1974)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
209 S.E.2d 350, 23 N.C. App. 396, 1974 N.C. App. LEXIS 2107, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-zimmerman-ncctapp-1974.