Opinion ID: 1595327
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: search of dallmann and vehicle

Text: Dallmann next contends that his consent to the search of his clothing and his vehicle was not voluntarily given. In particular, Dallmann argues that he was in a custodial atmosphere, brief for appellant at 29, that he was unaware he had the right to refuse to consent, and that under the totality of the circumstances, his consent was the result of duress or coercion. The right to be free from an unreasonable search and seizure, as guaranteed by the 4th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and by article I, § 7, of the Nebraska Constitution, may be waived by the consent of the citizen. State v. Ready, 252 Neb. 816, 565 N.W.2d 728 (1997). In order for a consent to search to be effective, it must be a free and unconstrained choice and not the product of a will overborne. Id.; State v. Prahin, 235 Neb. 409, 455 N.W.2d 554 (1990). The consent must be given voluntarily and not as the result of duress or coercion, whether express, implied, physical, or psychological. Id. The Fourth Amendment, however, does not require that a lawfully seized defendant be advised that he or she is legally free to go before the defendant's consent to search will be recognized as voluntary. Ready, supra, citing Ohio v. Robinette, 519 U.S. 33, 117 S.Ct. 417, 136 L.Ed.2d 347 (1996). In addition, an officer need not give any warning to a citizen that he or she may freely refuse a request to search. State v. Aguirre-Rojas, 253 Neb. 477, 571 N.W.2d 70 (1997). We agree with the district court that under the totality of the circumstances, Dallmann's consent to search his clothing for drugs and his vehicle for weapons was voluntary. Nothing in the record indicates that the investigating officers used coercion or threats of force, either express or implied, to obtain Dallmann's consent. The officers were not required to inform Dallmann that he had a right to refuse the request to search. Although Dallmann consented to a search of his vehicle for weapons, the address book was found in a place where a weapon could be concealed. In addition, the expanded scope of the search of the vehicle took place when Dallmann was placed under arrest. When a police officer has made a lawful custodial arrest of the occupant of a vehicle, the officer may, as a contemporaneous incident of the arrest, search the passenger compartment of that vehicle. The officer may also examine the contents of any containers found within the passenger compartment. State v. Roth, 213 Neb. 900, 331 N.W.2d 819 (1983). We conclude that the evidence was obtained through lawful searches. Thus, the district court did not err in overruling Dallmann's motion to suppress evidence.