Opinion ID: 2585391
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Search and seizure of the bag and its contents.

Text: Zaitseva initially argues that the contents of the bag should have been suppressed. She argues that even if the officer had consent to search the car, the scope of that consent was limited; it did not include consent to search the bag and its contents. Zaitseva also argues that the seizure of the bag and its contents was improper because the officer did not have probable cause. Neither of these arguments was presented to the trial court during Zaitseva's motion to suppress. As Zaitseva points out, she did raise the issue of consent to search the bag and its contents in her written suppression motion and during the suppression hearing. She did not, however, distinguish between the search of the bag and the search of the car itself or raise any distinct issues with regard to the bag. She did not argue that the officer did not have consent to search the car or the bag. The challenge brought before the trial court was limited to whether any consent was the product of coercion. The following excerpt is from closing arguments during the suppression hearing: THE COURT: Okay. So let's focus in on this. Would you agree with me [that] the issue here is coercion? The issue here is was this freely and voluntarily a consent of that type, or was it coercion. [Counsel for Zaitseva]: Yes. THE COURT: Is that the Issue? [Counsel for Zaitseva]: Yes. Consequently, the trial court determined only that the search was conducted pursuant to a valid, uncoerced consent. Zaitseva now attempts to distinguish between the search of the car and the search of the bag, arguing that the scope of the consent was limited to a search of the car but not of its containers. We find Zaitseva's arguments unavailing. There is no evidence that the consent for the search given by Zaitseva to the officer was conditional or was otherwise impressed with a limitation of any scope or extent. It is well settled that a general, unlimited consent to search a car includes consent to search containers in the vehicle. Florida v. Jimeno, 500 U.S. 248, 111 S.Ct. 1801, 114 L.Ed.2d 297 (1991); United States v. Snow, 44 F.3d 133 (2nd Cir.1995); United States v. Crain, 33 F.3d 480 (5th Cir.1994); United States v. Zapata, 18 F.3d 971 (1st Cir.1994). See also, State v. Frizzel, 132 Idaho 522, 975 P.2d 1187 (Ct.App.1999). Furthermore, by denying ownership of the bag in response to the officer's inquiry prior to the search, Zaitseva essentially relinquished or abandoned any privacy interest in the contents of the bag. State v. Harwood, 133 Idaho 50, 981 P.2d 1160 (Ct.App.1999). See also, State v. Cowen, 104 Idaho 649, 662 P.2d 230 (1983); State v. Agundis, 127 Idaho 587, 903 P.2d 752 (Ct.App.1995). Accordingly, it was not improper for the officer to search the bag in the course of searching the car with the consents he had obtained from the driver, from the apparent owner and from Zaitseva. We affirm the order denying the motion to suppress.