Opinion ID: 676492
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Motion to Suppress Evidence from Electronic Surveillance

Text: 8 After an initial investigation, the Government applied for authorization to intercept telephone conversations from 3 Way. A 52-page affidavit by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent William Klein provided the foundation for the wiretap application. The affidavit detailed observations and information from agents and two confidential informants (CI-1 and CI-2), all of whom had conducted limited undercover operations within 3 Way. On the basis of this affidavit, then-District Judge Pierre N. Leval authorized the requested wiretaps for 30 days and subsequently renewed the wiretap orders. However, before trial the Government disclosed that Klein's affidavit contained misstatements and omissions concerning the criminal history of CI-1. Specifically, the affidavit had falsely stated that CI-1 had a 1978 narcotics conviction though he had no such conviction, and that CI-1 had been an informant since 1979 though he had begun to provide information only in 1984. The affidavit also failed to note that CI-1's weapons conviction involved the theft of a gun from an Assistant U.S. Attorney's office and incorrectly described this felony conviction as a misdemeanor. 9 After submissions from the parties, the District Court concluded that the defendants had failed to show that the affidavit contained intentional or reckless falsehoods that would justify a hearing under Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154, 98 S.Ct. 2674, 57 L.Ed.2d 667 (1978). Nevertheless, the Court decided to conduct an evidentiary hearing to clarify the record. After the hearing, the Court faulted the Government for its behavior but determined that there had not been an intentional misleading of Judge Leval. The District Court further concluded that even if the affidavit contained deliberate or reckless errors, a corrected affidavit still would have provided probable cause for Judge Leval to authorize the wiretaps. 10 We need not explore the reason for the affidavit's errors because we agree with the District Court's conclusion that Judge Leval would have found probable cause for the wiretaps even if presented with a proper affidavit. Despite the defendants' claims to the contrary, we do not believe Judge Leval would have completely discounted the evidence presented through CI-1 even if CI-1's criminal history and time as an informant had been accurately reported. The past reliability of CI-1 and the corroborating evidence in the affidavit would have sufficiently assured Judge Leval of CI-1's reliability in this case. Cf. United States v. Ofshe, 817 F.2d 1508, 1513 (11th Cir.) (omission of informant's criminal convictions in search warrant application did not invalidate warrant), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 963, 108 S.Ct. 451, 98 L.Ed.2d 391 (1987); United States v. Levasseur, 816 F.2d 37, 43-44 (2d Cir.1987) (failure of affidavit to properly outline informant's criminal history and other background information did not require Franks hearing). Moreover, the affidavit contained significant evidence stemming from Government agents and CI-2 that supported the probable cause finding and alone would have justified the wiretap authorization. 11 Finding no error in the District Court's conclusion that, even if the affidavit supporting the wiretap application included intentional or reckless falsehoods, the affidavit contained a residue of independent and lawful information sufficient to support probable cause, United States v. Ferguson, 758 F.2d 843, 849 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 1032, 106 S.Ct. 592, 88 L.Ed.2d 572 (1985), we thus agree with the Court's conclusion that suppression of the evidence obtained via the wiretaps was not required. 12