Opinion ID: 1185641
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: inventory of items in the toiletry kit

Text: After finding two constitutional grounds for reversing the drug convictions, the majority proceeds to render an advisory opinion on the so-called closed toiletry kit issue. This issue was not raised in the trial court [10] and, in the light of the holdings on the other issues, it is not necessary for the majority to reach the same. The record is insufficient to establish that the toiletry kit was (1) closed or (2) the drugs upon which the charges were based were found therein. There is, thus, no factual basis for the conclusions reached by the majority. In an appropriate case, this court may be called upon to determine whether the holdings in Arkansas v. Sanders, 442 U.S. 753, 61 L.Ed.2d 235, 99 S.Ct. 2586 (1979) (involving a search of a closed but unlocked suitcase), United States v. Chadwick, 433 U.S. 1, 53 L.Ed.2d 538, 97 S.Ct. 2476 (1977) (a double-locked footlocker) and United States v. Bloomfield, 594 F.2d 1200 (8th Cir.1979) (a securely sealed knapsack) should be applied to closed luggage found during an inventory search. This is not the case. I would affirm the convictions by upholding the good faith impound and the search of the locked trunk under the unusual, if not unique, facts and circumstances of this case. Unlike the new public policy rule announced in State v. Hehman, 90 Wn.2d 45, 578 P.2d 527 (1978), which operated prospectively only, the new standard of the majority will have an impact and require reversal of a number of criminal cases decided under the prior rules. With the scope of the majority opinion in mind, I believe the views expressed by Justice Brachtenbach in his dissenting opinion in Hehman bear repeating here: Under the majority ruling the officer almost needs an appellate court riding his patrol vehicle to advise of the changing nature of the rules. State v. Hehman, supra at 51 (Brachtenbach, J., dissenting). I dissent. HOROWITZ, J., concurs with DORAN, J. Pro Tem.