Case Name: STATE of Louisiana v. David D. LEWIS
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1982-09-07
Citations: 427 So. 2d 835
Docket Number: No. 81-KA-2442
Parties: STATE of Louisiana v. David D. LEWIS.
Judges: SEXTON, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 427
Pages: 835–840

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana v. David D. LEWIS.
No. 81-KA-2442.
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
Sept. 7, 1982.
On Rehearing Feb. 23, 1983.
Rehearing Denied March 25, 1983.
William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Barbara Rutledge, Asst. Atty. Gen., Leonard K. Knapp, Dist. Atty., Evelyn Oubre, Karen Lee Price, Abbott J. Reeves, Asst. Dist. Attys., for plaintiff-appellee.
James Miguez, Cari A. Leckband, Jr., Lake Charles, for defendant-appellant.

Opinion:
DENNIS, Justice.
Defendant, David D. Lewis, was convicted by a jury of four counts of possession of controlled dangerous substances, La.R.S. 40:967(C), 40:968(C), and sentenced to five years imprisonment at hard labor concurrently on each count. The sentences were suspended, defendant was placed on supervised probation for five years, and a fine of $1,000 was assessed. On appeal, defendant attacks the search warrant under which the evidence against him was seized. Finding reversible merit in this assignment of error, we pretermit consideration of defendant's other assignments of error.
The prosecution's case was based on evidence seized from defendant's apartment pursuant to a search warrant. Defendant argues that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress the introduction of the seized drugs because the warrant under which the drugs were seized was issued without probable cause.
Troopers Schell and Chargois presented an affidavit in support of their request for a warrant authorizing the search of defendant's residence for "an unknown number of blue and red capsules believed to be tuinal, a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance." The affidavit said that "[o]n Thursday, March 27, 1980, the affiant, Tpr. Richard Chargois, was a guest in the aforementioned apartment. At approximately 3:15 p.m., the suspect, David Lewis showed Tpr. Chargois a quanity [sic] of blue and red capsules ahich [sic] he (Lewis) discribed [sic] as 'trees', a term used to discribe [sic] Tui-nal, a controlled dangerous substance." After a warrant was issued, the officers conducted a search of defendant's apartment and seized a quantity of pills containing amobarbital, secobarbital, methaqualone and phentermine.
Article 1, § 5 of the 1974 Louisiana Constitution provides that "[n]o warrant shall issue without probable cause supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, the person, or things to be seized, and the lawful purpose or reason for the search." Article 162 of the Code of Criminal Procedure provides that "[a] search warrant may issue only upon probable cause established to the satisfaction of the judge, by the affidavit of a credible person, reciting facts establishing the cause for issuance of the warrant."
The warrant was issued in violation of the constitution and statute because the affidavit failed to set forth facts from which an issuing magistrate could find probable cause to believe that the unspecified amount of capsules in defendant's possession constituted evidence of a crime. Tuinal may be used for medicinal purposes and possession of it obtained directly or pursuant to a valid prescription from a doctor is not unlawful. La.R.S. 40:967(C), 40:968(C). The defendant's voluntary, open display of the capsules to his guest tends to demonstrate that he considered his possession of the drugs lawful. Moreover, the affidavit does not rule out the significant possibility that defendant was aware that his guest was a police officer. The mere fact that the defendant referred to the pills by nickname does not give rise to a reasonable belief that defendant possessed them illegally. Perhaps the facts in the affidavit justify a suspicion of criminal activity, but suspicion has never been a sufficient basis for the issuance of a search warrant.
Accordingly, the defendant's conviction and sentences are reversed and the case is remanded for further proceedings consistent herewith.
REVERSED AND REMANDED.
SEXTON, J., concurs.
WATSON and LEMMON, JJ., dissent and assign reasons.
LOBRANO, J., dissents with reasons.
Judges William Norris III and Fred C. Sexton, Jr. of the Court of Appeal, Second Circuit, and Robert L. Lobrano of the Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit, participated in this decision as Associate Justices pro tempore, joined by Associate Justices Calogero, Dennis, Watson and Lemmon.
. Tuinal is listed in the 1981 Physician's Desk Reference on page 1091 as the brand name for a drug manufactured by Lilly containing amo-barbital and secobarbital for the purpose of preoperative use and for use whenever a moderately sustained hypnotic effect is required.