Opinion ID: 364041
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the search of appellant's house and car

Text: 63 As stated above, 5 when the Appellant confessed, he stated to the police that the 350 pounds of marijuana was in a closet in his house and that he had put the pistol clip behind his stereo in the house. He also said the pistol was in the house, but he did not remember where he had put it. The Canal Zone police told him that the Panamanian police would probably search his house, and he replied that he did not mind that, but he did not want any doors kicked in or windows knocked out, because he was concerned about his children who were in the house. He then described the location of the house. The police also told Mrs. Sierra that the Panamanian police would probably search the house. She then drew a map indicating how to find the house. She also said a truck and Appellant's car would be parked in front of the house. 64 The Canal Zone liaison officer informed the Panamanian police of the situation. The Panamanian police then made arrangements with their district attorney for a search of Appellant's house. The record does not show what those arrangements were. 65 A member of the Panamanian district attorney's staff and several units of the Panamanian police then went to Appellant's house, accompanied by the Canal Zone liaison officer. When they reached the house, the door was open and three children were inside, one of whom was a boy about 14 years of age. The DENI identified themselves to the children and stated the purpose of their visit. The children admitted them into the house. The DENI then proceeded to search the house. They found the 350 pounds of marijuana in a closet where Appellant had said it would be. They also found the gun clip behind a stereo speaker where Appellant said he hid it. The pistol was found in Appellant's car that was parked in front of the house. All of these items were then taken to the DENI headquarters where they were inventoried. The DENI then released the gun and gun clip to the Canal Zone police liaison officer. The Appellant filed a motion to suppress the items found in the search of his house and auto. A lengthy hearing was held by the trial judge, and at its conclusion the judge denied the motion, finding and concluding as follows: 66 With respect to the search of the house, the Court finds that, first of all, both the defendant and his wife, and with respect to his wife she certainly was not under any kind of custody or control whatsoever. (sic). After they had had their last conversation in which he stated he was going to tell the Police the entire truth, he voluntarily told the Police of the contents of the house, that is, the gun, the clip, and the quantity of marijuana; described the location of the house; described the automobiles that would be parked around the house; and the wife even went to the extent of drawing a map or a diagram to enable the Panamanian Police Liaison Officer to locate the house; that the information was forwarded by him to the Panamanian authorities; and that pursuant to the story told by the defendant at that time, that a deal was going down at 9:00 o'clock, the Panamanian authorities, with the Canal Zone Liaison Officer, went to the scene of the house. They kept the house under surveillance for some time. After the appointed hour of 9:00 o'clock, when the alleged purchaser was to show up and did not appear, they approached the house. The front door was open; there were children inside; they were admitted by the children; and as a result of the search they found the pistol, clip, and the marijuana. 67 The Court further takes judicial notice of the fact that the Canal Zone Liaison Officer had no jurisdiction nor authority to act in a police matter on his own initiative; that under the Panamanian laws it would have been solely under the control and jurisdiction of the Panamanian Police. And the Court is of serious doubt that the Canal Zone Police Officer could have stopped the Panamanian Police had he even thought that they were doing anything wrong, having had some experience with them myself. I don't know if that entitles me to take judicial notice of it. But in any event, the Court is inclined to hold, and does hold, that it was a search by consent based upon probable cause and at the very least there was, if not an express, an implied consent by both the defendant and his wife. Certainly, although the ages of the children are not shown in the record, there certainly was, at least at that point, consent also by them. 6 68 So far as the search of the automobile is concerned, the Court is of the opinion that that likewise was a valid search; that there certainly existed probable cause to search the automobile in the belief that it contained instruments of crime and that such was very likely to disappear or be unavailable at a future date, and that there was therefore, for the purpose, exigent circumstances also. 69 The Appellant contends that the court erred in denying his motion to suppress the marijuana, pistol clip and pistol seized in the search of his house and car, because he argues, the search violated his constitutional rights under the Fourth Amendment. We do not agree. It is fundamental that a police search is valid if made with the consent of the owner or occupant of property even if made without a search warrant. 7 Zap v. United States, 328 U.S. 624, 66 S.Ct. 1277, 90 L.Ed.2d 1477 (1946). The district court found as a fact that the search was made by consent of Appellant and by his wife and children and upon probable cause. We think the evidence supports this finding. In any event, it is not plainly erroneous, 8 and we will not disturb it. 70 In the next place, the district court found that the search was made in the Republic of Panama, a foreign country, by Panamanian authorities, and that the search was solely under the control and jurisdiction of the Panamanian police, even though the Canal Zone liaison officer, who had no authority or jurisdiction whatever in Panama, accompanied them. Here again, the district court's findings on questions of fact are supported by the evidence. In any event, they are not plainly erroneous. Under these circumstances, Appellant's Fourth Amendment rights were not violated. 71 Furthermore, Fourth Amendment rights are generally inapplicable to an action by a foreign sovereign in its own territory in enforcing its own laws, even though American officials are present and cooperate in some degree. See Birdsell v. United States, 346 F.2d 775, 782-3 (5 Cir. 1965). 9 The facts show that Appellant confessed to the murder five different times during the proceedings, as follows: First, when he confessed orally to the police; second, in his handwritten confession; third, when he went to the scene of the murder and re-enacted it for the police; fourth, when he testified at the hearing on his motion to suppress; and fifth, when he testified in his own behalf at the trial. We concluded above that his confession was admissible. 72 Appellant's confession was corroborated by many facts without considering the marijuana, gun and gun clip seized in the search of his house and car. The record shows that while Appellant was writing his confession, an officer asked him, Where did you get the weapon? He answered by producing a bill of sale for the sale of a 22 caliber Ruger pistol from the Balboa Gun Club to him, which was introduced into evidence. Five discharged 22 caliber shells or casings were found at the scene of the murder. An autopsy of the body of the deceased revealed that he had been shot in the back 5 times with small caliber bullets, one of which killed him. The body of the deceased was found at the spot where the Appellant said he shot him. 73 At the trial, the pistol clip and the five discharged 22 caliber shells were introduced into evidence without objection (R.243-4 and 291). Neither the marijuana nor the pistol were put in evidence. However, a ballistics expert testified on direct and cross-examination, without objection, that results from test firing Appellant's pistol, which was identified by the serial numbers on the gun and on the bill of sale furnished by the Appellant, showed that it was the same pistol that fired the five 22 caliber cartridge shells found at the scene of the murder. Therefore, the only fruits of the complained-of search consisted of the ballistics testimony and the introduction of the gun clip. Such evidence was cumulative. In view of the overwhelming evidence of Appellant's guilt, if there was any error in admitting such evidence, it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. See Rule 52(a), Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure; Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 24, 87 S.Ct. 824, 828, 17 L.Ed.2d 705 (1967); and United States v. Anderson, 500 F.2d 1311, 1318-19 (5 Cir. 1974). 74 We hold that the action of the district court in denying Appellant's Motion to Suppress was proper. 75 Accordingly, Appellant's conviction is affirmed. 76 AFFIRMED. 77 GOLDBERG and FAY, Circuit Judges, concur in the result.