Opinion ID: 2083022
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Police Activity

Text: In late 1979 Minneapolis police arrested a juvenile who later indicated that he had sold a Kalimar camera for $20.00, along with some stereo equipment, to a person named Riley Housley. The police, who were in the course of investigating several burglaries, obtained a warrant to search the defendant's home at 2807 Pillsbury Avenue South, Minneapolis. The warrant directed the police to seize one Kalimar camera, stereo equipment and accessories, [and] papers and documents which show control and occupancy of the premises searched. On December 13, 1979, the police gathered at the Sixth Precinct, forming a task force to serve three separate warrants. The evidence indicates that it was department policy that a uniformed officer always accompany the police in the execution of a search warrant. However, because of shift changes occurring about this time, no uniformed officers were available so eight plain-clothes officers drove to the defendant's home in four vehicles. All the police cars were unmarked. Prior to departure, the police ran a check on Housley and found that he had no criminal record. The first officers to arrive at the scene were Sergeant Robert Skomra and his partner, Sergeant Grates. It was a sunny December afternoon, but all the shades in the Housley residence were drawn. Skomra and Grates went to the front door and both officers rang the doorbell and knocked. The doorbell was of the type that operated only in the door and was not electronically connected to a ringing device within the home. Sergeant Grates also kicked the bottom of the door, but the officers received no response. The officers heard a phone ring inside the home but did not hear anyone answer. Skomra and Grates were at the front door for approximately three minutes. Sergeants Skomra and Grates then walked to the north side of the house where a rear door was located. There they were joined by Sergeants Mack, Murphy and Larson. Sergeant Mack was wearing a ski jacket, a plaid shirt, Levis and hiking boots, had a mustache and a full beard, stood between 6'2 and 6'3 and weighed 220 to 225 pounds. Sergeant Skomra described Sergeant Mack as a big man. After checking windows and upon concluding that no one was at home, the officers decided to execute the warrant by entering the house through the rear door. Sergeant Skomra pulled on the rear door's outside aluminum and glass storm door, but found it locked. Sergeant Mack broke the glass in the aluminum storm door and unlocked it. Mack then broke the glass in the inside wooden door and yelled through the broken glass, we are the police with a search warrant. There are conflicting claims that other officers yelled similar statements during the next few minutes as further events unfolded, but it was conceded by the state at oral argument that, for the purposes of this case, Riley Housley, who was in the house, did not hear any of these statements and thus they are immaterial. When Mack broke the glass in the inner wooden door, the window shade on the door flipped up, casting light into the kitchen area. The rest of the inside of the house was very dark because the shades were drawn. Sergeant Mack reached through the broken glass in the inner door and attempted to unlock it, but could not. The door was secured by a double-deadbolt lock. Sergeant Mack kicked the door a couple of times, but to no avail. Sergeant Berneck then suggested that a sledge hammer be used to break the door in. Sergeant Berneck retrieved a sledge from his car and went to work on the wooden door. Breaking the door with the sledge took from 2 to 5 minutes. Sergeant Grates testified that Berneck struck the door with the 12 pound sledge 3 or 4 times. Sergeant Berneck testified that he struck the door 7 times. Once the locking mechanism was disengaged, Berneck kicked the door in and the police officers began to enter the house. The officers had been at the scene for approximately 15 minutes before gaining entry to the house. The first officer to enter the house was Sergeant Mack. Sergeant Berneck entered behind Mack, but stopped to remove a television stand and other clutter which were stacked behind the door and which prevented the door from opening all the way. Sergeant Skomra followed Sergeant Mack into the house. Behind Sergeant Skomra was Sergeant Grates. Sergeant Skomra testified that just as he was about to enter the kitchen area (behind Sergeant Mack) he heard a rapid sequence of shots and felt something strike him in the side. Sergeant Mack was also shot as he was just about to cross the threshold between the kitchen and the dining room. Mack fell in the kitchen. Sergeant Grates quickly helped Sergeant Skomra out of the house. Sergeants Baltzer and Berneck, who had been removing clutter from behind the door, hit the floor when the shooting started. There was a period of silence following the shots. Baltzer and Berneck then overheard defendant Housley as he made a telephone call. The officers heard the defendant say, Get the police, I just shot someone. Sergeant Berneck immediately responded, We are the police, drop your gun. Defendant Housley responded, If you are the police, let me see your badge. Sergeant Baltzer held his badge up, but the defendant yelled, Hold it up higher, I can't see it. Baltzer held the badge higher and the defendant shouted, Throw it to me. Baltzer threw the badge in the direction of the defendant's voice. Baltzer shouted again, drop your gun, we are the police. Riley Housley dropped his gun and was placed under arrest.