Opinion ID: 2217146
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the introduction of the blood-stained shirt.

Text: Defendant claims the search warrant issued upon the application of Officer Haviland was invalid because it was not based on probable cause. He argues there were no underlying facts presented from which the magistrate could form an independent judgment as to probable cause; that the affidavit upon which the search was based consisted entirely of the officer's conclusions, not, as required by law, upon the magistrate's independent determination. State v. King, 256 N.W.2d 1, 12 (Iowa 1977); State v. Wright, 244 N.W.2d 319, 320 (Iowa 1976); State v. Easter, 241 N.W.2d 885, 886-87 (Iowa 1976); State v. Boyd, 224 N.W.2d 609, 614 (Iowa 1974); State v. Boer, 224 N.W.2d 217, 219-20 (Iowa 1974); State v. Spier, 173 N.W.2d 854, 857-58 (Iowa 1970). We have encouraged the use of search warrants and have stated the applications and supporting affidavits are to be tested in a common sense and realistic fashion. State v. Wright, 244 N.W.2d at 321; State v. Spier, 173 N.W.2d at 858. Nevertheless we cannot overlook the requirement of the fourth amendment to the federal constitution that search warrants be issued only upon a showing of probable cause. We find there was no such showing in this case. There were no underlying facts presented upon which the magistrate could make an independent finding of probable cause. The conclusions were all those of Officer Haviland. The officer, not the magistrate, concluded defendant had possession of the cards and attempted to flush them down the toilet. We do not quarrel with this as his conclusion from the information available to him; but the magistrate was not afforded the opportunity to agree or disagree with it. What were really the officer's conclusions were put to the magistrate as established and reliable facts. This case points up the difference between probable cause for arrest and probable cause for issuance of a search warrant. The arrest was valid because it turns on whether the arresting officer, as a reasonable person, had cause to believe defendant committed the crime. The search warrant was invalid because these same conclusions were relied on by the magistrate to show good cause. The magistrate must have more than this to go on. He must be apprised of the underlying facts and circumstances, and he must then decide for himself that the warrant should issue. No such facts were given him. See State v. Hamilton, 236 N.W.2d 325, 327-28 (Iowa 1975), where we quoted this with approval: In Johnson v. United States, 333 U.S. 10, 68 S.Ct. 367, 92 L.Ed. 436 (1948), Mr. Justice Jackson made this statement: `The point of the Fourth Amendment, which often is not grasped by zealous officers, is not that it denies law enforcement the support of the usual inferences which reasonable men draw from evidence. Its protection consists in requiring that those inferences be drawn by a neutral and detached magistrate instead of being judged by the officer engaged in the often competitive enterprise of ferreting out crime.' (Emphasis in original). We hold the magistrate erred in finding probable cause to issue the search warrant on the evidence then before him. However, we do not believe the error demands a reversal. Not every error, even one of constitutional proportions, justifies a new trial or other relief. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial but not necessarily a perfect one. State v. King, 256 N.W.2d 1, 12 (Iowa 1977). To deny defendant a new trial we must say the error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 24, 87 S.Ct. 824, 828, 17 L.Ed.2d 705, 709-10 (1967); Fahy v. Connecticut, 375 U.S. 85, 86-87, 84 S.Ct. 229, 230, 11 L.Ed.2d 171, 173 (1963); State v. Porter, 283 N.W.2d 351, 353 (Iowa 1979). From our de novo review of the record on this issue, we conclude the error in admitting defendant's blood-stained shirt into evidence was harmless error beyond a reasonable doubt. Most of the cases finding error in the admission of evidence to be harmless do so on one of two theories: overwhelming evidence of guilt or the cumulative nature of the disputed evidence. We have held in Division I that the shoes and trousers were properly received in evidence. Holding, as we do, that it was error to admit the shirt, we see no possibility that the introduction of three blood-stained items of apparel would be more damaging than two. The shirt added nothing to the state's case. United States v. Weir, 575 F.2d 668, 671 (8th Cir. 1978) (verdict should stand if evidence did not influence, or had only slight effect, on the jury); United States v. LaVecchia, 513 F.2d 1210, 1217 (2d Cir. 1975) (contraband money admitted, only some of which was rightfully seized. Held harmless error as to that portion illegally taken); United States v. Bynum, 513 F.2d 533, 535 (2d Cir. 1975) (telephone conversation should have been excluded but error harmless because evidence cumulative only); Ricehill v. Brewer, 459 F.2d 537, 540 (8th Cir. 1972) (blood on watch harmless error because cumulative); Santiago v. State, 314 So.2d 246, 248 (Fla.App.1975) (ammunition admitted; some validly taken. As to remainder, harmless error because cumulative); State v. Hunt, 198 Kan. 222, 424 P.2d 571, 574 (1967) (cigarette case illegally seized; admission harmless because cumulative); People v. Terry, 80 Mich.App. 299, 263 N.W.2d 352, 356 (1977) (blood stains cumulative only); State v. Davidson, 44 Wis.2d 177, 170 N.W.2d 755, 765 (1969) (cumulative blood samples, harmless error). Several of these authorities, notably Ricehill, 459 F.2d at 540, LaVecchia, 513 F.2d at 1217, Santiago, 314 So.2d at 248, and Hunt, 424 P.2d at 574, bear marked resemblance to the case now here. In each the proffered evidence was partially good and partially tainted, and in each the court held the admission of tainted evidence was harmless error because it was only cumulative to identical evidence properly in the record. We refer briefly to the fact defendant seems to have shifted his ground from his trial court objections. He now wants to rely on Boyd, alleging the search warrant application contained false statements. That claim comes too late. See Boyd, 224 N.W.2d at 614-16. Furthermore it is totally without merit. The false statements were the officer's conclusions, which depended for their validity upon the presence of certain facts. These certain facts may or may not have existed. That is the reason the conclusions must be made by the magistrate, not the arresting officer. However, the statements made were not false within the meaning of Boyd and defendant's attack on this ground, even if timely, is without merit. We hold that defendant's arrest was based upon probable cause; that his shoes and trousers were seized as an incident to a lawful arrest and that their subsequent use as evidence was proper that the search warrant was invalid and that the seizure of defendant's shirt pursuant thereto was illegal; that the introduction of the shirt into evidence was harmless error beyond a reasonable doubt because it was cumulative to other evidence and could not have influenced the jury's verdict. We accordingly affirm the judgment. AFFIRMED.