United States v. King

693 F. Supp. 2d 1200, 2010 WL 727981
CourtDistrict Court, D. Hawaii
DecidedMarch 1, 2010
DocketCR. 09-00207 DAE
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 693 F. Supp. 2d 1200 (United States v. King) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Hawaii primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. King, 693 F. Supp. 2d 1200, 2010 WL 727981 (D. Haw. 2010).

Opinion

AMENDED ORDER DENYING DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO SUPPRESS EVIDENCE AND STATEMENTS

DAVID ALAN EZRA, District Judge.

In a hearing on February 8, 2010, and a continued hearing on February 11, 2010, the Court heard Defendant King’s Motion. Edward G. Caspar, Esq., and Darren W.K. Ching, Assistant U.S. Attorney, appeared at the hearings on behalf of the Government; Matthew C. Winter, Assistant Federal Public Defender, appeared at the hearings on behalf of Defendant. After the hearings on the motion and reviewing the supporting and opposing memoranda, the Court DENIES Defendant’s Motion.

Following this Court’s issuance of its Order, the Ninth Circuit issued its en banc decision in Doody v. Schriro, 596 F.3d 620 (9th Cir.2010). The Court now addresses Doody’s application to the instant case at Part V of this Amended Order, pages 55-56.

BACKGROUND

The Court repeats the background facts only as is necessary for a decision on Defendant Rodney King’s Motion to Suppress Evidence and Statements (“Mot.,” Doc. # 52) in the discussion section below. At the suppression hearing on February 8, 2010 (“hearing”) and the continued hearing on February 11, 2010 (“continued hearing”), the Government presented evidence establishing the facts that follow.

On May 9, 2008, at about 9:40 p.m., FBI agents led by Special Agent Mary Itnyre, having previously obtained an arrest warrant for Rodney King (“Defendant”) for his violation of supervised release, located Defendant near the elevators in the lobby of the Aqua Hotels and Resorts, Island Colony Hotel in Honolulu. Special Agent Rachel Byrd testified that the agents identified themselves and ordered Defendant to lie on the ground. Defendant complied. Agents placed Defendant under arrest, cuffed Defendant’s hands behind his back, and led him to the adjoining parking structure where Defendant and agents had parked their cars. Defendant was searched after he was placed in handcuffs.

*1206 Special Agent Itnyre testified that she requested to search Defendant’s car, the keys having been found on next to Defendant’s person during arrest. Defendant refused, telling the agent to “get a warrant,” and requested that the agents release his car to Sharon-Mae Nishimura (“Nishimura”), who was staying with him at the hotel in room 2420. Defendant wanted his car removed from the premises and asked the agents to deliver the car keys to Nishimura in the hotel room. Special Agent Itnyre testified that in addition to Defendant’s statement that Nishimura was in the hotel room, she had also received information confirming Nishimura presence.

Five agents, lead by Special Agent Itnyre, returned to the hotel with Defendant’s car keys intending to contact Nishimura. Two agents remained with Defendant in the parking structure. The instant Motion concerns several pieces of evidence agents found in room 2420 and believed to be related to Defendant’s alleged sex trafficking enterprise.

On May 20, 2009, a federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment against Defendant and co-defendant Nishimura. (Doc. # 1.) On September 23, 2009, the Government filed a superseding indictment charging Defendant with 13 counts including: (Counts 1-4, 9-10) sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a), (b); (Counts 5-6) sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a), (b) and 1594(a) and 2; (Counts 7-8) sex trafficking of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1591(a), (b); (Counts 11-12) sex trafficking of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a)(2), 1591(b)(2), and 3559(e); and (Count 13) conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1591. (Doc. # 35.) On September 30, 2009, Defendant entered a plea of not guilty. (Doc. # 44.)

On December 21, 2009, Defendant filed the instant Motion to Suppress Evidence and Statements. (Doc. # 52.) On January 14, 2010, the Government filed a second superseding indictment charging defendant with Counts 1-4 and 7-12, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1591, Counts 5-6, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1594, 1591; and Count 13, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. (Doc. # 64.) On January 15, 2010, Defendant entered a plea of not guilty. (Doc. # 70.) On January 25, 2010, the Government filed a Response to Defendant’s motion. (“Resp.,” Doc. # 83.) On January 29, 2010, Defendant filed a Reply. (Doc. # 90.)

DISCUSSION

Defendant moves to suppress evidence obtained inside room 2420 where Defendant had stayed prior to his arrest. In support, Defendant argues that at the time of this search, he retained a reasonable expectation of privacy in the room, Government agents lacked a warrant, and no exceptions to the warrant requirement applied. (Mot. at 1-2.) Defendant further argues that his statements to Government agents should be suppressed because they were involuntary and coercively obtained. (Id. at 2) Additionally, Defendant moves to suppress evidence obtained from a search of a laptop computer, three thumb drives, and a memory stick because the Government agents’ warrant to search these items was allegedly made ineffective because the search failed to comport with the Fourth Amendment. (Id.)

I. Entry and Search of the Hotel Room

Pursuant to the Fourth Amendment, all state-initiated searches and seizures must be reasonable and must generally require a warrant in order to be valid. United States v. Hawkins, 249 F.3d 867, *1207 872 (9th Cir.2001). The Fourth Amendment ensures:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

U.S. Const, amend. IV. However, there are several established exceptions to the warrant requirement of the Fourth Amendment. Hawkins, 249 F.3d at 872. The burden of proof rests on the government to justify a search under one of the exceptions to the warrant requirement. Id.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
693 F. Supp. 2d 1200, 2010 WL 727981, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-king-hid-2010.