Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/305/251/
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 14:23:44+00:00

Document:
1. In a prosecution for possession and transportation of distilled spirits in containers lacking the requisite revenue stamps, in violation of § 201 of the Liquor Taxing Act of 1934, a defense that the distilled spirits involved were not intended for sale and were therefore expressly excepted from the provisions of the Act must be affirmatively proved. P. 305 U. S. 254.
2. Under the circumstances disclosed in this case, the search of an automobile and seizure of liquor therefrom, without a warrant, after the car had entered a garage appurtenant to a private dwelling, to which it had been pursued by federal officers, was not an unreasonable search and seizure, and, in a prosecution for violation of § 201 of the Liquor Taxing Act of 1934, a motion to suppress the evidence thereby obtained was properly overruled. P. 305 U. S. 255.
3. A federal officer who has made an arrest following a tip as to a violation of a federal law may not, in a prosecution for such violation, be required to reveal the identity of his informant where this is not essential to the defense. P. 305 U. S. 254.
Certiorari, 304 U.S. 557, to review the affirmance of a conviction for violation of the Liquor Taxing Act of 1934.
and transporting distilled spirits in containers wanting requisite revenue stamps. He was sentenced for a year and a day, etc. The Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the judgment.
No objection to the judge's charge is urged, and the evidence submitted to the jury is adequate to support the verdict.
arrested petitioner and seized both car and liquor. The officer had no search warrant.
At the trial, counsel undertook to question the arresting officers relative to the source of the information which led them to observe petitioner's actions. Objections to these questions were sustained, and this is now assigned as error.
"to suppress all of the evidence obtained by the search made by the Revenue agents in the above entitled cause, together with all information obtained by reason of such search, and to grant an order requiring the agents to return all articles seized by reason of said search. . . ."
In support of this, he relied upon the facts above stated. Denial of this motion is said to be error.
In the circumstances, the source of the information which caused him to be observed was unimportant to petitioner's defense. The legality of the officers' action does not depend upon the credibility of something told, but upon what they saw and heard -- what took place in their presence. Justification is not sought because of honest belief based upon credible information, as in United States v. Blich, 45 F.2d 627.
Moreover, as often pointed out, public policy forbids disclosure of an informer's identity unless essential to the defense, as, for example, where this turns upon an officer's good faith. Segurola v. United States, 16 F.2d 563, 565; Shore v. United States, 60 App.D.C. 137, 49 F.2d 519, 522; McInes v. United States, 62 F.2d 180.
and the application of this to the facts there disclosed, it seems plain enough that, just before he entered the garage, the following officers properly could have stopped petitioner's car, made search, and put him under arrest. So much was not seriously controverted at the argument.
Passage of the car into the open garage closely followed by the observing officer did not destroy this right. No search was made of the garage. Examination of the automobile accompanied an arrest, without objection and upon admission of probable guilt. The officers did nothing either unreasonable or oppressive. Agnello v. United States, 269 U. S. 20, 269 U. S. 30; Wisniewski v. United States, 47 F.2d 825, 826.
"No person shall . . . transport, possess, buy, sell, or transfer any distilled spirits unless the immediate container thereof has affixed thereto a stamp denoting the quantity of distilled spirits contained therein and evidencing payment of all internal revenue taxes imposed on such spirits. The provisions of this title shall not apply to --"
"(f) Distilled spirits not intended for sale or for use in the manufacture or production of any article intended for sale. . . ."
"Sec. 207. Any person who violates any provision of this title . . . shall, on conviction, be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by imprisonment at hard labor not exceeding five years, or by both."

References: § 201
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