Opinion ID: 1876720
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: seizure was proper

Text: Factually, appellant was tried and convicted by a jury based upon an indictment for violation of Fla. Stat. § 847.011, F.S.A. The grand jurors viewed either all or part of the two films involved. Some jurors viewed all of one film but not all of the other. Based upon affidavits submitted by the grand jurors and founded upon their collective viewing of the films as to content, the circuit judge issued a warrant for seizure of the films in question without a prior adversary judicial hearing. Immediately thereafter, the film was seized and the next day the indictment was returned by the grand jury against appellant. Motion to suppress was denied. During the trial the films were actually shown to the jury, then testimony was taken. The trial judge in acting upon appellant's motions expressly declared Fla. Stat. § 847.011, F.S.A., constitutional and this direct appeal followed. [7] Upon appellant's first challenge  seizure  he cites Roaden v. Kentucky, (1973), 413 U.S. 496, 93 S.Ct. 2796, 37 L.Ed.2d 757, which reversed denial of the motion to suppress obscene films on the ground of illegal seizure. Our case is no Roaden . In Roaden the seizure was clearly erroneous in that it was made without a warrant, simply upon a viewing of the film by a county sheriff at a local drive-in theater and without any prior judicial determination of obscenity. Sub judice 1) a warrant was issued; 2) following a consideration by the judge of sufficient factual affidavits of the grand jurors who went and viewed the films. Thus there was a prior judicial determination by the circuit judge, and at all times thereafter there was an available judicial review of the ruling (though appellant sought none). [8] The seizure was legal and the motion to suppress was correctly denied. [9]