Opinion ID: 1109340
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Items of Clothing

Text: WHEREFORE, deponent prays for process to search the premises of said Clarence Lampkin and Barbara Fowler as provided by law. Edward L. Lester As already stated this bill of exception has merit for the additional reason that the affidavit and the warrant fail to clearly describe the premises to be searched. The Louisiana constitutional requirement that a warrant issue particularly describing the place to be searched    is repeated in Article 162, Code of Criminal Procedure, with the words    it shall designate the place to be searched. Again, it is obviously necessary that the magistrate or judge make an independent determination and name the particular place to be searched after considering the affidavit which is before him. The premises to be searched must be designated with such certainty that they are readily and easily identifiable by any officer qualified to execute the warrant. The particularity required in affidavit and warrant is recognized in Steele v. United States, 267 U.S. 498, 45 S.Ct. 414, 69 L.Ed. 757 (1925), and Berger v. New York, 388 U.S. 41, 87 S.Ct. 1873, 18 L.Ed.2d 1040 (1967). But see also State v. Lee, 247 La. 553, 172 So.2d 678 (1965), in which we held a warrant invalid where the executing officer by telephone informed the issuing judge that the address in the warrant was incorrect but that he knew the correct address and the proper premises to be searched, and the officer was given permission by the judge to change the municipal number. We said, quoting from 79 C.J.S. Searches & Seizures, § 82, p. 896:    Thus, a warrant is invalid if it is amended by the executing officers, even on the consent of the issuing officer, or on a telephone communication from him. Moreover, the issuing officer cannot amend the warrant unless the affidavit itself is so amended as to conform to the proposed change or unless the original affiant performs some corporal act which would constitute an oath.    See also State v. Chargois, 245 La. 647, 160 So.2d 231 (1964), where a writ applied for by the State was denied because the search warrant was executed at a place other than that described in the warrant. In that case the warrant was issued to search the premises of 5100 Laurel Street. There were two entrances to this building, a business fronting on Laurel Street and a residence on Soniat Street. Although access could be had from the business portion to the residential area by door, we affirmed the ruling of the trial court suppressing the evidence recovered under the search warrant because entrance was made through the residence on the side street and it, not the business establishment, was searched. We said that    the search warrant was executed at a place other than that described in the warrant. It is now well established under both Louisiana and federal law that the oath or affidavit required by the Constitutions must be in writing and must contain all the necessary information for a judicial officer to make the required judgment for issuance of the search warrant. Search warrants are to be strictly construed, and the premises to be searched must be designated with particularity by the issuing officer on the basis of information contained in the affidavit. The designation of the premises to be searched in the present case as the premises of said Clarence Lampkin and Barbara Fowler is not a description of such particularity as is required by our Constitutions, and the warrant relied upon was fatally defective. As previously stated, I do not consider this bill properly before us, but since the majority has passed upon the bill, I must express my opinion that it has erred in failing to reverse the conviction and sentence because of the merit specified. I respectfully dissent. McCALEB, Justice, is of the opinion that the appeal should be dismissed, as it is well settled that, if a person convicted of a criminal offense becomes a fugitive from justice, his appeal will be dismissed. State v. Butler, 132 La. 597, 61 So. 682; State v. Lacroute, 134 La. 3, 63 So. 603; State v. Rogers, 150 La. 1080, 91 So. 518; and State v. Scruggs, 192 La. 297, 187 So. 673. The omission of R.S. 15:548 from the new Code of Criminal Procedure does not effect an overruling of the established jurisprudence of this Court.