Opinion ID: 1298434
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: probable cause for issuance of warrant

Text: Having determined that the officers had reasonable suspicion to continue Lee's detention, we further determine that the canine sniff need not be excised from the affidavit in support of the search warrant. Therefore, the following averments in the affidavit upon which we must evaluate probable cause include, inter alia: (1) information that the area in question was known to be used for drug transactions, (2) Lee's drug arrest history, (3) Lee's divergent stories, (4) Lee's driving in a restricted area ... posted `No Unauthorized Vehicles beyond this point,' and (5) the drug dog's positive alert after performing a sniff of Lee's vehicle. In evaluating the validity of a search warrant, we consider familiar principles: A search warrant, to be valid, must be supported by an affidavit which establishes probable cause. State v. Johnson [, 256 Neb. 133, 589 N.W.2d 108 (1999) ]. Probable cause sufficient to justify issuance of a search warrant means a fair probability that contraband or evidence of a crime will be found. State v. Craven, 253 Neb. 601, 571 N.W.2d 612 (1997). Proof of probable cause justifying issuance of a search warrant generally must consist of facts so closely related to the time of issuance of the warrant as to justify a finding of probable cause at that time. State v. Johnson, supra . Probable cause to search is determined by a standard of objective reasonableness, that is, whether known facts and circumstances are sufficient to warrant a person of reasonable prudence in a belief that contraband or evidence of a crime will be found. State v. Craven, supra . In reviewing the strength of an affidavit submitted as a basis for finding probable cause to issue a search warrant, an appellate court applies a totality of the circumstances rule whereby the question is whether, under the totality of the circumstances illustrated by the affidavit, the issuing magistrate had a substantial basis for finding that the affidavit established probable cause. State v. Detweiler, 249 Neb. 485, 544 N.W.2d 83 (1996). As a general rule, an appellate court is restricted to consideration of the information and circumstances found within the four corners of the affidavit. State v. Johnson, supra . ... .... When a search warrant is obtained on the strength of information received from an informant, the affidavit in support of the issuance of the warrant must set forth facts demonstrating the basis of the informant's knowledge of criminal activity. The affidavit must also either establish the informant's credibility or set forth a police officer's independent investigation of the information supplied by the informant. [Citations omitted.] This is so because without information regarding the informant's credibility, `[t]he magistrate would have no way of ascertaining whether this tip was rumor, speculation, vendetta, reprisal, or gossip.' State v. Lytle, 255 Neb. at 749, 587 N.W.2d at 672, quoting with approval State v. Valley, 252 Mont. 489, 830 P.2d 1255 (1992). If an affidavit does not establish that an informant is reliable, a search warrant issued solely upon the information supplied by the informant is invalid. State v. Lytle, supra . State v. Ortiz, 257 Neb. 784, 790-91, 805, 600 N.W.2d 805, 813-14, 822 (1999). With respect to the information that the area was used for drug transactions, the record does not disclose the source of that information. We simply do not know whether the source was a citizen informant or an informant who has given reliable information in the past. See, State v. Peters, 261 Neb. 416, 622 N.W.2d 918 (2001); State v. Grimes, 246 Neb. 473, 519 N.W.2d 507 (1994), overruled on other grounds, State v. Burlison, 255 Neb. 190, 583 N.W.2d 31 (1998). Furthermore, there is no evidence that establishes how long prior to this incident drug dealers were meeting at this location. We are left to speculate as to whether the averment in paragraph 8 occurred within a reasonable time so as not to be stale. See, State v. Faber, 264 Neb. 198, 647 N.W.2d 67 (2002); State v. Groves, 239 Neb. 660, 477 N.W.2d 789 (1991). Without any information as to the credibility of the source of this averment, the judge issuing this warrant would `have no way of ascertaining whether this tip was rumor, speculation, vendetta, reprisal, or gossip.' See State v. Lytle, 255 Neb. 738, 749, 587 N.W.2d 665, 672 (1998), disapproved on other grounds, State v. Johnson, 256 Neb. 133, 589 N.W.2d 108 (1999). We therefore determine for the foregoing reasons that such averment is entitled to no weight in our ultimate determination of probable cause. This, however, does not end the inquiry. As noted above, if an affidavit does not establish that an informant is reliable, a search warrant issued solely upon the information supplied by the informant is invalid. State v. Ortiz, 257 Neb. at 805, 600 N.W.2d at 814. We are not presented with such a situation here. The affidavit in support of the search warrant contains information which is independent of the averment that the recreation area was being used for drug transactions. Thus, while such averment is entitled to no weight in our analysis, we will nevertheless assess the remainder of the affidavit, based on the totality of the circumstances, in concluding whether such affidavit provided probable cause to issue the search warrant for Lee's vehicle. See, State v. Faber, supra ; State v. Ortiz, supra . When reviewing an issuing magistrate's decision with respect to the establishment of probable cause, we traditionally apply a standard of review which gives a magistrate's determination great deference. See State v. Detweiler, 249 Neb. 485, 544 N.W.2d 83 (1996) (citing Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. 213, 103 S.Ct. 2317, 76 L.Ed.2d 527 (1983)). However, where the affidavit before the issuing magistrate contains information that an appellate court will not consider in a probable cause determination, the decision of the issuing magistrate is not entitled to such deference, but, rather, must be reviewed de novo. `[A]s a matter of logic and common sense, a reviewing court cannot defer to a magistrate's consideration of an application for search warrant that the magistrate in effect did not review.' See Montana v. St. Marks, 312 Mont. 468, 474, 59 P.3d 1113, 1117 (2002). See, also, 5 Wayne R. LaFave, Search and Seizure, a Treatise on the Fourth Amendment § 11.4 (3d ed.1996). Here we do not give deference to the magistrate's decision, since we do not consider the averment that the recreation area was being used for drug transactions. Instead, we review the affidavit de novo. Although we conducted a de novo review in State v. Ortiz, 257 Neb. 784, 600 N.W.2d 805 (1999), to the extent that Ortiz could be read as giving deference to the issuing magistrate's probable cause determination after excision of averments from the search warrant affidavit, it is disapproved. The remaining circumstances as set forth in the affidavit in support of the search warrant show that Lee had prior drug arrests, was present on November 30, 2000 at 2103 hours ... in an area posted `No Unauthorized Vehicles beyond this point,' and gave divergent explanations as to the reason for her presence at the recreation area. In addition, the canine sniff resulted in a positive alert for the presence of drugs. See, e.g., U.S. v. Gregory, 302 F.3d 805 (8th Cir.2002) (positive alert by drug dog provides probable cause for search); State v. Chronister, 3 Neb.App. 281, 526 N.W.2d 98 (1995) (positive alert from drug dog constitutes probable cause for issuance of search warrant). See, also, State v. Staten, 238 Neb. 13, 469 N.W.2d 112 (1991) (positive alert by drug dog constitutes probable cause for arrest). When these factors are considered collectively, we determine upon our de novo review, based upon a standard of objective reasonableness, that the totality of the above circumstances is sufficient to warrant a person of reasonable prudence in the belief that contraband or evidence of a crime would be found in Lee's vehicle. See State v. Craven, 253 Neb. 601, 610, 571 N.W.2d 612, 619 (1997).