Opinion ID: 1310247
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Evaluation of Information in Affidavit Other Than Canine Alert for Probable Cause: Reliability and Sufficiency of Information Supplied by C/C and Other Facts

Text: To have the evidence seized pursuant to the search warrant suppressed, Ortiz must show that there was not a sufficient residue of information in the affidavit amounting to probable cause to support the warrant without consideration of the fact of the improperly obtained canine alert. In addition to the positive canine alert, the affidavit before the issuing judge consisted of the information supplied by C/C and the address and records check of Ortiz. When a search warrant is obtained on the strength of information received from an informant, the affidavit in support of the issuance of the warrant must set forth facts demonstrating the basis of the informant's knowledge of criminal activity. The affidavit must also either establish the informant's credibility or set forth a police officer's independent investigation of the information supplied by the informant. State v. Lytle, 255 Neb. 738, 587 N.W.2d 665 (1998), disapproved in part on other grounds, State v. Johnson, 256 Neb. 133, 589 N.W.2d 108 (1999); State v. Flores, 245 Neb. 179, 512 N.W.2d 128 (1994), disapproved in part on other grounds, State v. Johnson, supra ; State v. Utterback, 240 Neb. 981, 485 N.W.2d 760 (1992), disapproved in part on other grounds, State v. Johnson, supra . This is so because without information regarding the informant's credibility, `[t]he magistrate would have no way of ascertaining whether this tip was rumor, speculation, vendetta, reprisal, or gossip.' State v. Lytle, 255 Neb. at 749, 587 N.W.2d at 672, quoting with approval State v. Valley, 252 Mont. 489, 830 P.2d 1255 (1992). If an affidavit does not establish that an informant is reliable, a search warrant issued solely upon the information supplied by the informant is invalid. State v. Lytle, supra . As set forth above in the passage excerpted from the police affidavit submitted in order to obtain the warrant, C/C's name was not made known to the magistrate nor did the affidavit indicate that C/C was known to the police officers or had provided reliable information to them in the past. On appeal, the State characterizes C/C as a citizen informant whose tip was presumptively reliable. This characterization is incorrect because the affidavit submitted in support of the application for a search warrant does not identify C/C as a citizen informant, which is a special status which must be affirmatively alleged. See, State v. Lytle, supra ; State v. Utterback, supra . Although the affidavit stated that C/C did not request payment for the information given to police, this fact, without more, does not establish that the tipster is a reliable citizen informant. See State v. Utterback, supra . The affidavit detailed no statement by C/C against his or her penal interest which might have tended to increase the likelihood that the information supplied by C/C was true. See id. The affidavit did not indicate how or why C/C knew that Ortiz sold cocaine from his apartment. The affidavit did not state whether and when C/C had been inside the apartment, purchased cocaine from Ortiz, or been present during a drug sale by Ortiz. See, State v. Lytle, supra ; State v. Utterback, supra . The affidavit did recite that police had confirmed that Ortiz lived at the address provided by C/C and that Ortiz' appearance matched the general description supplied by C/C. Ortiz' address and physical description are neutral facts which do not, without more, imply criminality. See, State v. Flores, supra ; State v. Utterback, supra . Corroboration of this information did not generate enough information to establish probable cause that Ortiz had committed, or was about to commit, a crime. Id. The affidavit included information from police records that Ortiz had a prior conviction in 1991 and that Ortiz had been arrested in 1994, but that these charges were dropped. The information regarding Ortiz' drug-related criminal history may be considered relevant information which could be properly included by police in the affidavit to demonstrate probable cause. State v. Hodge and Carpenter, 225 Neb. 94, 402 N.W.2d 867 (1987), disapproved in part on other grounds, State v. Johnson, 256 Neb. 133, 589 N.W.2d 108 (1999). However, without proof of present criminal activity, the information about Ortiz' past criminal activity lacks temporal significance and did not by itself create probable cause to believe that Ortiz was currently engaged in the same genre of criminal conduct or any criminal conduct which had led to his prior conviction. See, State v. Johnson, supra ; State v. Reeder, 249 Neb. 207, 543 N.W.2d 429 (1996), cert. denied 519 U.S. 1006, 117 S.Ct. 506, 136 L.Ed.2d 397. In this case, the permissible information contained in the affidavit submitted in support of issuing a search warrant, consisting of the information supplied by C/C, Ortiz' history, and certain innocent details of Ortiz' life, failed to demonstrate a totality of circumstances that established probable cause. We cannot say that the totality of the circumstances, see Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. 213, 103 S.Ct. 2317, 76 L.Ed.2d 527 (1983), without consideration of the canine alert, provided a sufficient basis for the issuance of the search warrant. Because it was issued without probable cause, the search warrant was constitutionally defective. The State has not asked that we consider the good faith exception under United States v. Leon, 468 U.S. 897, 104 S.Ct. 3405, 82 L.Ed.2d 677 (1984), and, accordingly, we do not engage in such an analysis.