United States v. Ryles

291 F. Supp. 492, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9270
CourtDistrict Court, D. Delaware
DecidedOctober 11, 1968
DocketCrim. A. No. 1897
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 291 F. Supp. 492 (United States v. Ryles) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Ryles, 291 F. Supp. 492, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9270 (D. Del. 1968).

Opinion

[493]*493OPINION

LAYTON, District Judge.

On June 6, 1968, the Grand Jury for this District returned an eight count indictment against Joseph W. Ryles, Alvin Dumont Ewell and two others, charging them with violations of the Federal Narcotics Laws.1 After entering pleas of “not guilty”, the defendants Ryles and Ewell moved, pursuant to Rule 41(e) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, to suppress certain evidence seized by Federal Narcotics Agents, and defendant Ewell moved, pursuant to Rules 8 and 14, F.R.Cr.P., to sever his trial from that of the other three defendants. An evidentiary hearing was held, briefs were filed and oral argument was heard. Based upon the foregoing, the motion to suppress will be denied and the motion to sever will be granted.

From the evidence heard, the Court finds the following facts:

1. In late February, 1968, Morris Davis, Jr., an agent for the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the Department of Justice, commenced an investigation of illicit drug traffic in Wilmington, Delaware. In the course of his investigation, Davis, posing as a drug pusher, was introduced to defendants Ewell and Ryles, from whom he purchased narcotics on several occasions prior to March 29, 1968.

2. On Friday, March 29, 1968, Agent Davis, while still posing as a drug pusher, ordered a quantity of heroin and cocaine from defendant Ewell, the drugs to be supplied by defendant Ryles.

3. At about 6:00 p. m. on Sunday, March 31, 1968, after several telephone calls spaced throughout the day, Agent Davis was advised by Ewell that Ryles had arrived in Wilmington and that he, Davis, could see Ryles at 618 W. 9th Street, in Wilmington.

4. Agent Davis arrived at 618 W. 9th at 6:15 p. m., or thereabouts, and was admitted to the apartment building by Ewell, who then accompanied Agent Davis to a second floor apartment, which was leased by a Curtis Taylor, but in which Ewell was a semi-permanent guest and in which Ryles was visiting Ewell.

5. Upon entering the apartment, Davis was in the living room; he proceeded from there through a dining room into the kitchen, where he saw the defendant Ryles arising from the kitchen table, apparently just having completed a meal.

6. In the kitchen with Ryles was William Simpson, with whom Ryles was discussing the quality of the drugs that he had been selling Simpson.

7. On the kitchen table, in plain view, were two plates, an aluminum foil package, two brown paper bags, a partially full Scotch bottle and some drinking glasses.

8. Simpson and Ryles completed their discussion and Simpson left the apartment to get his “works”.2

9. After Simpson’s departure, Ryles removed a plastic bag of white powder and a block of mannite3 from the paper bags on the table and proceeded to sift the white powder and' the mannite through a silk screen by running a playing card across the screen. Agent Davis recognized this operation as the cutting of heroin.

10. Davis then discussed with Ryles the purchase of the drugs that Ryles then had. Ryles stated that the price for the heroin and cocaine was $2800.00. Davis stated that he would purchase the drugs; but, that he would have to borrow $300.00 as he only had $2500.00 with him.4

[494]*49411. Davis left the apartment and went directly to his car where Officer Ricks was waiting. After telling Officer Ricks that he had satisfied himself that drugs in quantity were in the apartment, Davis gave a pre-arranged signal to other police officers in the area and then started back to the apartment with Officer Ricks.

12. At Ewell’s suggestion, Davis had left ajar the vestibule door on the ground floor and so he and Officer Ricks entered the building unannounced.

13. Ewell admitted Davis to the apartment, where Davis immediately identified himself and advised Ewell that he was placing him under arrest.

14. Davis next went into the kitchen where he identified himself to Ryles and Simpson, who had returned during Davis’ absence, and immediately placed them under arrest.

15. Within minutes, the other police officers arrived and removed the defendants from the apartment.

16. Agent Young, who had entered the apartment with the police officers, seized the paper bags and the aluminum foil package which were still on the kitchen table.

17. A subsequent chemical analysis of the contents of the bags and package disclosed a sizable quantity of heroin and cocaine.

18. Until Agent Davis identified himself at the time of his re-entry, his true identity was unknown to the defendants.

19. Davis’ entrance into the apartment on both occasions was effected with neither a search warrant nor an arrest warrant.

20. Davis came to the meeting in the apartment in the hope that Ryles would voluntarily produce illegally possessed drugs during the course of negotiations for the purchase of such drugs.

21. The place for the negotiations was selected by the defendants.

THE MOTIONS TO SUPPRESS

In support of their identical motions to suppress, the defendants contend that Agent Davis conducted an unreasonable search of the second floor apartment at 618 W. 9th Street during his first visit there on Sunday, March 31, 1968, and that the subsequent arrests and seizure are tainted by the search, making the drugs seized inadmissible in evidence and subject to suppression.5 According to the defendants, the search is invalid because it was made without a warrant, was not incident to a lawful arrest and the defendants did not voluntarily waive their Fourth Amendment rights.6 The government’s position is that there was no search, and alternatively, if there were a search, that it was not an unreasonable one because of the exigent situation with which Agent Davis was confronted.

Concededly, as defendants contend, a search is unreasonable unless made pursuant to a valid search warrant or justified by certain recognized exceptions. Nevertheless, in considering the events of March 31st, I am of the view that neither Davis’ first nor second visit violated defendants’ constitutional rights.

Initially, the Court is confronted by the government’s contention that there was no need for a search warrant because there was, in fact, no search. While there is some authority in support of the government’s position, I am of the view that the Third Circuit in Fraternal Order of Eagles, No. 778, Johnstown, Pa. v. United States, 57 F.2d 93, 94 (3d Cir., 1932) established that in this Circuit a search is made when federal agents enter a protected area to inspect it visually whether or not they ransack or engage in other conduct usually suggested by the word “search”.

Having determined that Agent Davis’ conduct during the first visit to the apartment was a search, the issue now presented is whether the search was an unreasonable one within the meaning [495]*495of the Fourth Amendment. To be sure, the apartment at 618 W. 9th Street is entitled to the “full range of Fourth Amendment protections.” Lewis v.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
291 F. Supp. 492, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9270, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-ryles-ded-1968.