Opinion ID: 2622136
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Did the Trial Court Err when it Denied Athan's Motion To Dismiss under CrR 8.3(b)?

Text: ś 39 CrR 8.3(b) reads, [t]he court, in the furtherance of justice, after notice and hearing, may dismiss any criminal prosecution due to arbitrary action or governmental misconduct when there has been prejudice to the rights of the accused which materially affect the accused's right to a fair trial. We review the trial court's decision under an abuse of discretion standard. Abuse of discretion requires the trial court's decision to be manifestly unreasonable or based on untenable grounds or untenable reasons. State v. Michielli, 132 Wash.2d 229, 240, 937 P.2d 587 (1997). Here, the trial court, in a written opinion, discussed the public policy of allowing some deceitful police conduct in order to detect and eliminate criminal activity. The court distinguished the facts of this case from other attorney-client cases because the police were not hoping to obtain confidential information, rather they were trying to obtain a sample of saliva. The court denied Athan's motion to dismiss because, after looking at a totality of the circumstances, it found the police were acting to protect the public by solving the crime, the illegal activity engaged in was only a misdemeanor, and the police conduct was not repugnant to a sense of justice. ś 40 Athan argues his case should be dismissed under CrR 8.3(b) and the due process clauses of the state and federal constitutions. Athan notes the rule requires two elements: governmental misconduct and prejudice affecting the defendant's right to a fair trial. Athan maintains governmental misconduct is shown through the SPD's violation of RCW 2.48.180(2)(a), unlawful practice of law, and RCW 9.73.020, privacy in sealed letters. In addition, Athan argues the case should be dismissed for public policy reasons. Athan, along with amicus WSBA, contends the ruse used by police created an attorney-client relationship because Athan believed the law firm would be representing him in a class action lawsuit. Athan and the WSBA contend public policy allows for some deceitful conduct only when it is necessary to detect criminal activity and the specific ruse used here was not necessary to obtain the evidence the SPD wanted. Based on the strong interest in protecting the public's faith in the attorney-client relationship, Athan argues public policy requires dismissal of the case. ś 41 The State contends dismissal for a due process violation requires the additional element of showing the government misconduct is so shocking that it violates fundamental fairness. State v. Lively, 130 Wash.2d 1, 19, 921 P.2d 1035 (1996). Dismissal is appropriate only in the most egregious of cases, such as where the government agents direct a crime from beginning to end or a crime is fabricated for the sole purpose of obtaining a conviction and not to protect the public from criminal behavior. Lively, 130 Wash.2d at 20-21, 921 P.2d 1035. The State notes Washington courts have repeatedly rejected outrageous conduct claims based on police engaging in illegal activities. See, e.g., State v. Myers, 102 Wash.2d 548, 689 P.2d 38 (1984), overruled on other grounds by Lively, 130 Wash.2d 1, 921 P.2d 1035. Thus, while the State concedes the police conduct was perhaps deceitful, it was not so outrageous as to warrant dismissal of the entire case. The State observes the police ruse was not designed to solicit any privileged information and, in fact, none was communicated by Athan. ś 42 Public policy allows for a limited amount of deceitful police conduct in order to detect and eliminate criminal activity. A violation of a criminal statute is not a per se violation of CrR 8.3(b) and/or due process, and we must examine the totality of the circumstances to determine when the conduct becomes so outrageous that a reversal of a conviction is required. The police's use of a ruse to obtain evidence against a suspect is not determinative. We have upheld police ruses designed to gain warrantless entry into a suspect's house for the purpose of buying illegal drugs. State v. Hastings, 119 Wash.2d 229, 830 P.2d 658 (1992). In Hastings, we found the Fourth Amendment did not apply because the defendant had no reasonable expectation of privacy in his house when he was openly engaged in illegal activity with the public. However, we noted that even if the Fourth Amendment had applied, the defendant had consented to the search and the police ruse used to gain entry did not vitiate that consent. Hastings, 119 Wash.2d at 233-36, 830 P.2d 658. Likewise, there is no Fourth Amendment violation here and the police ruse does not vitiate Athan's voluntary relinquishment of the envelope containing a sample of his saliva. Although the police violated a state statute by posing as lawyers, the trial court noted the effect of the conduct on the integrity of the legal system is not as severe as where the ruse was directed at obtaining confidential information. Public policy allows for some deceitful conduct and violation of criminal laws by police officers in order to detect and eliminate criminal activity. The claimed misconduct in this case does not involve actions similar to those cases which found misconduct warranting dismissal. The police did not induce Athan to commit any crime here nor did they attempt to gain any confidential information from the ruse. The conduct here is not so outrageous as to offend a sense of justice or require dismissal of this case. We find the trial court properly denied Athan's motion to dismiss under CrR 8.3(b).