Opinion ID: 2615930
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Heading: Probable Cause and Illegal Search

Text: Defendants contend the trial court erred in admitting evidence seized as a result of an arrest without probable cause and from an illegal search and seizure. K.S.A. 22-2401 sets forth the conditions under which a law enforcement officer may make an arrest. We have considered the issue of probable cause in several recent cases. In State v. Lamb, 209 Kan. 453, 467, 497 P.2d 275 (1972), we stated: Probable cause exists where the facts and circumstances within the arresting officers' knowledge and of which they had reasonably trustworthy information are sufficient in themselves to warrant a man of reasonable caution in the belief that an offense has been or is being committed. ( Carroll v. United States, 267 U.S. 132, 162, 69 L.Ed. 543, 45 S.Ct. 280 [1925].) In State v. Evans, 219 Kan. 515, 521, 548 P.2d 772 (1976), we said: Probable cause does not require the same type of specific evidence of each element of the offense as would be needed to support a conviction.... In State v. Barnes, 220 Kan. 25, 28, 551 P.2d 815 (1976), we held as follows: It is not necessary that the evidence giving rise to such probable cause be sufficient to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt nor must it be sufficient to prove that guilt is more probable than not. It is only necessary that the evidence leads the officer to believe that guilt is more than a mere possibility. ( State v. Curtis, 217 Kan. 717, 538 P.2d 1383.) Based upon testimony regarding the dispatch reports received by both Officer Sinclair and Trooper Sixkiller, which contained a description of the car, the license tag number, details of the robbery, and a description of the clothing worn by the two men, we believe there was sufficient probable cause to arrest defendants. We are not prevented from making this finding because varying reports were received regarding the number of men believed to have robbed the bank or because Trooper Sixkiller did not receive the same information regarding defendants' clothing as that which was received by Officer Sinclair. We have stated it is not necessary that all the facts in a dispatch report be within the personal knowledge of the arresting officer. State v. Buckner, 223 Kan. 138, 142, 574 P.2d 918 (1977); State v. Clark, 218 Kan. 726, Syl. ¶ 2, 544 P.2d 1372 (1976). Defendants' allegation of lack of probable cause is without merit. We turn to the sufficiency of the affidavit for the search warrant. Defendants contend Officer Sinclair was not in possession of sufficient information to obtain a proper search warrant at the time the vehicle was stopped. We have carefully examined the statutes and case law of the State of Oklahoma, as well as copies of the affidavit and the search warrant. The facts contained in the affidavit are more than sufficient to support the issuance of a proper search warrant, notwithstanding the fact Officer Sinclair's oral statements before the Oklahoma court were not recorded. See 22 Okla. Stat. Ann. § 1223; Looney v. State, 520 P.2d 814 (Okla. Crim. 1974).