Opinion ID: 306547
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Suppression of the Handguns

Text: 4 Candella's conduct when he was arrested constituted consent to the seizure of the handguns. See United States v. Rothberg, 460 F.2d 223 (2d Cir. 1972); 1 United States v. Gaines, 441 F.2d 1122 (2d Cir.), vacated and remanded on other grounds, 404 U.S. 878, 92 S.Ct. 223, 30 L.Ed.2d 159 (1971). Candella, after being informed of his rights, pointed to the exact spots where the guns were located and told the officers where they were. Here, as in Rothberg, there is no evidence . . . of coercion or other circumstances that would render the consent invalid. 460 F.2d at 224. Consent was freely and voluntarily given. See Bumper v. North Carolina, 391 U.S. 543, 548, 88 S. Ct. 1788, 20 L.Ed.2d 797 (1968); United States v. Fernandez, 456 F.2d 638 (2d Cir. 1972). [T]he mere fact that a suspect is under arrest does not negate the possibility of a voluntary consent. Neither does the suspect's knowledge that the search will almost certainly demonstrate his guilt. United States ex rel. Lundergan v. McMann, 417 F.2d 519, 521 (2d Cir. 1969). 5 In addition to the factor of consent to the seizure of the guns, they should have been held admissible because in practical effect they were in plain view of the agents. The agents were legally in Candella's home for the purpose of making an arrest for which they had a valid arrest warrant. Their attention was directed by Candella to the very spot where the guns were situated. If the containers had been open there would be no doubt about the propriety of the seizure. Candella's statement that the guns were in the containers was the equivalent of his opening the containers for the agents' inspection. Where . . . the arresting officer inadvertently comes within plain view of a piece of evidence, not concealed, although outside of the area under the immediate control of the arrestee, the officer may seize it, so long as the plain view was obtained in the course of an appropriately limited search of the arrestee. Coolidge v. New Hampshire, 403 U.S. 443, 465-466, n. 24, 91 S.Ct. 2022, 2038, 29 L.Ed.2d 564 (1971) (emphasis added). Here, once the appellee told the agents where the guns were, they were no longer concealed and it was reasonable for the agents to seize them. The evidence was, in effect, in the plain view of the agents. See United States v. Titus, 445 F.2d 577 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 404 U.S. 957, 92 S.Ct. 323, 30 L.Ed.2d 274 (1971). 6 The contrary holding of the district court must be reversed. 7