Opinion ID: 580895
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Franks Hearing for Defective Wiretap Affidavit

Text: 9 To prove the existence of the conspiracy and to establish that there had been attempts to corruptly influence Judge Weigel, the Government sought to present pen register and wiretap evidence that documented the conspirators' patterns of communication and revealed the contents of their telephone conversations. 10 Before trial, Tham moved to suppress evidence obtained from three wiretap authorizations of April 22, 1987, September 11, 1987, and October 21, 1987. After a non-evidentiary hearing on February 2, 1990, the district court ruled on February 5, 1990 to suppress evidence from the April wiretap while admitting evidence from the September and October wiretaps. 2 Although Tham argued that the September and October wiretaps were the tainted fruits of the illegal April wiretap, the court ruled that the September and October wiretaps were supported by sufficient independent source evidence of probable cause and necessity. 11 Tham alleges that it was error to authorize the April and September wiretaps. In support of the wiretap applications, the Government submitted the April 20, 1987 and September 20, 1987 affidavits of FBI special agent Thomas Carlon. First, Tham argues that each affidavit, on its face, failed to establish probable cause for a wiretap under 18 U.S.C. § 2518(3). Second, Tham argues that each affidavit was defective under Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154, 98 S.Ct. 2674, 57 L.Ed.2d 667 (1978), and that the district court erred by not granting him a full Franks evidentiary hearing. 12 Applying practical common sense and examining the totality of the circumstances as the Supreme Court did in Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. 213, 230, 238, 103 S.Ct. 2317, 2328, 2332, 76 L.Ed.2d 527 (1983), we find that there was a substantial basis for concluding that probable cause for the wiretaps existed. United States v. Dozier, 844 F.2d 701, 706 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 488 U.S. 927, 109 S.Ct. 312, 102 L.Ed.2d 331 (1988). 13 The April affidavit provided probable cause to believe that Tham was conspiring with others to procure bribes and kickbacks in return for Union approval of certain employee health benefit contracts. Also named in the affidavits were Angelo T. Commito, then President of Labor Health and Benefit Plan, Inc., real estate developer William Richard Baldwin, labor consultant Martin Bacow, Abe Chapman, Theresa Gene Vaughn, then President of American Digitron, Inc., and Bart J. Burg executive vice-president of American Digitron. The September affidavit contained evidence sufficient to furnish probable cause to believe that Tham was planning to participate in and profit from a fraudulent public offering involving Best Refrigerated Express and a kickback scheme involving the sale of wooden pallets. Both affidavits alleged facts sufficient to establish necessity. 14 Under Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. at 156, 98 S.Ct. at 2676, and United States v. Ippolito, 774 F.2d 1482, 1485 (9th Cir.1985), evidence seized pursuant to a search warrant or wiretap must be suppressed if the defendant can prove by a preponderance of the evidence that: (1) in the affidavit in support of the search warrant or wiretap, the affiant included a statement which he knew was false or whose veracity he recklessly disregarded, and (2) the false statement was necessary to the magistrate's finding of probable cause. We have since extended Franks to include deliberate or reckless omissions. United States v. Stanert, 762 F.2d 775, 781, amended, 769 F.2d 1410 (9th Cir.1985). 15 The ultimate question of whether a false statement or omission is necessary to a finding of probable cause, is a mixed question of law and fact which we review de novo. We review the district court's underlying factual determinations for clear error. United States v. Ippolito, 774 F.2d 1482, 1484 (9th Cir.1985). 16 In addition to arguing below that the April affidavit failed to establish probable cause and necessity, Tham also argued that two omissions rendered the April affidavit defective and necessitated a full Franks evidentiary hearing. First, the affidavit failed to mention a March 12, 1987 telephone conversation between Angelo Commito and Martin Bacow during which Commito stated that he didn't want to talk to Tham or involve him in any further discussions about an eye-care insurance kickback scheme. Second, according to Tham, the affidavit also failed to mention that, as of April 20, Tham and Commito had not spoken to each other for three months. 17 The first omission did not render the April affidavit defective or entitle Tham to a full Franks evidentiary hearing. Tham offered no proof that the omission was intentional or reckless. At worst the omission was negligent. 18 Nor did Tham prove that the second omission arose from intentional or reckless conduct. Even if the second omission was the product of bad faith conduct by law enforcement officials, addition of the omitted material would not have eliminated probable cause. Far from terminating the deal altogether, Commito merely expressed grumbling dissatisfaction on January 26, 1987 with the deal's prospects and on March 12, 1987 with Tham's handling of the deal. However, there was also evidence that Commito was still willing to pursue further negotiations. On February 12, 1987, Commito indicated that if Tham and officers of American Digitron pursue this properly ... maybe something can happen. Furthermore, Tham continued his efforts to bring the scheme to fruition, making calls to American Digitron, Bacow, Baldwin, and Chapman as late as mid-April 1987. Bacow, in turn, stayed in frequent touch with Commito. 19 Finally, we conclude that the September and October affidavits were not the fruits of an illegal April wiretap. First, because the April wiretap was properly authorized, and second, because the September and October affidavits were based on evidence derived from sources independent of the April wiretap.