United States v. Seward

261 F. App'x 748
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedJanuary 15, 2008
Docket06-10613
StatusUnpublished

This text of 261 F. App'x 748 (United States v. Seward) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Seward, 261 F. App'x 748 (5th Cir. 2008).

Opinion

PER CURIAM: *

Billy George Seward (“Seward”) challenges factual findings underlying the district court’s denial of his motion to suppress evidence procured pursuant to a search warrant. Seward also appeals the district court’s denial of his motion to suppress statements he made before he was Mirandized. For the reasons below, we AFFIRM.

I.

On June 25, 2004, Officer Bobby Dilbeck, a veteran narcotics investigator, and other law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Stanley Britt’s residence and found methamphetamine. Officer Dilbeck contends that he received a tip that morning concerning Britt from a confidential informant to whom he was introduced by another narcotics investigator, Officer Karl King. The informant helped Officer King seize large amounts of methamphetamine in at least three prior cases. According to Officer Dilbeck, Britt was arrested and booked into the Wichita County Jail at approximately 12:00 p.m.

Following Britt’s arrest, Officer Dilbeck asserts, the informant tipped him on another methamphetamine dealer named “Mike” and claimed to have seen methamphetamine at Mike’s house within the last 24 hours. The informant described Mike as a white male, close to 40 years old, and around 5'10" and 190 pounds. The informant showed Officer Dilbeck the house, which was on Highway 281 and had the numbers “8985” on the front gate.

At around 2 p.m., Officer Dilbeck presented his affidavit to a magistrate judge, seeking a search warrant to search the 8985 residence. In his affidavit, Officer Dilbeck noted that the informant, who was familiar with methamphetamine and was reliable in the past, had seen methamphetamine at the house in the last 24 hours. The magistrate judge issued the warrant at 2:12 p.m. but inadvertently omitted the time of issuance on the warrant.

On his way back to the house, Officer Dilbeck contacted another officer, Officer John Spragins, informing him that the magistrate judge had signed the search warrant so that he could prepare for a search. Before Officer Dilbert arrived, Officer Spragins entered the house, finding Seward, who matched the description of “Mike,” and his wife inside. Officer Spragins claims that he had Seward handcuffed for officer safety. According to Officer Spragins, he then told Seward that he had a search warrant and asked for his help to avoid having to “go through everything in the house.” Officer Spragins contends Seward was “very cooperative” and that he did not threaten or point a gun at Seward. After proclaiming his wife’s innocence, Seward took Officer Spragins to the bedroom and surrendered drugs he had hidden under the bed.

*750 Officer Dilbert arrived at approximately 2:45 p.m., read Seward his Miranda rights, and arrested him. Seward subsequently waived his Miranda rights and again acknowledged that the methamphetamine belonged to him. Another officer asked Seward if he had other drugs in the house. While Seward said he did not, officers later discovered other drugs along with various firearms.

After Seward’s arrest, he moved to suppress evidence and statements procured at the residence. Seward contended that suppression was necessary because: (1) the search warrant contained an incorrect address and did not include his name as well as a time of issuance; (2) the affidavit falsely asserted that the informant was in Seward’s house in the 24 hours before the search; and (3) Seward gave incriminating statements while in custody but before he was Mirandized.

At the suppression hearing, Officers Dilbeck and Spragins testified to the above facts. Officer Dilbeek also explained that he discovered only after the search that the address of Sewards’ residence had changed from “8985 U.S. Highway 281” to “1101 U.S. Highway 281.” Moreover, Officer Dilbeek testified that drug dealers commonly use aliases instead of their real names.

Seward called three witnesses—Britt, his wife, and himself—all of whom had a dramatically different account of events. Britt testified that Officer Dilbeek did not leave his house until 2:00 p.m. Seward’s wife claimed that the search began at 2:15 p.m., and that the police filled out the search warrant only after the search. Finally, Seward asserted that the search began at 2:00 p.m., the police pointed a gun at him throughout, and that the police never Mirandized him. 1

Following the hearing, the district court issued its findings of facts and conclusions of law. Finding the officers’ testimonies more credible, the court concluded that Seward had failed to demonstrate a violation of his Fourth or Fifth Amendment rights, and that suppression was unnecessary.

After the district court denied his motion to suppress, Seward entered into a plea agreement in which he “reserve[d] the right to appeal the Court’s denial of his motion to suppress evidence as it relates only to the Fourth Amendment and to his post-Miranda statement [sic] to the police.” Seward then filed this appeal.

II.

Where the district court has denied a motion to suppress, we review its findings of facts for clear error and its conclusions of law de novo. United States v. Shabazz, 993 F.2d 431, 434 (5th Cir.1993). “A finding is clearly erroneous if the court is left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed.” United States v. Hernandez, 279 F.3d 302, 306 (5th Cir.2002) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). “Where a district court’s denial of a suppression motion is based on live oral testimony, the clearly eironeous standard is particularly strong because the judge had the opportunity to observe the demeanor of the witnesses.” United States v. Santiago, 410 F.3d 193, 197 (5th Cir.2005).

III.

We review a denial of a motion to suppress in two steps. First, we must determine if the good-faith exception to the exclusionary rule established in United *751 States v. Leon, 468 U.S. 897, 104 S.Ct. 3405, 82 L.Ed.2d 677 (1984), applies. United States v. Payne, 341 F.3d 393, 399 (5th Cir.2003). “Under the good-faith exception, evidence obtained during the execution of a warrant later determined to be deficient is admissible nonetheless, so long as the executing officers’ reliance was objectively reasonable and in good faith.” Id. If the good-faith exception applies, then we do not consider the question of probable cause unless the question is novel and an answer is necessary to help guide magistrate judges and law enforcement officers. Id.

Police who conduct a search pursuant to a warrant issued by a magistrate presumptively act in good faith. United States v. Craig,

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Related

United States v. Hernandez
279 F.3d 302 (Fifth Circuit, 2002)
United States v. Payne
341 F.3d 393 (Fifth Circuit, 2003)
United States v. Santiago
410 F.3d 193 (Fifth Circuit, 2005)
United States v. Leon
468 U.S. 897 (Supreme Court, 1984)
United States v. Bruce L. Craig
861 F.2d 818 (Fifth Circuit, 1988)
United States v. Charles E. Webster and Bobby Nelson
960 F.2d 1301 (Fifth Circuit, 1992)

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261 F. App'x 748, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-seward-ca5-2008.