Opinion ID: 1241125
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Following proceedings had in the absence of the jury:)

Text: MR. FULLER: Your Honor, may I proceed to ask a few more questions, or does the Court  THE COURT: Perhaps maybe I should. This is a very material point. I thought I heard you testify when the jury was present that you went in before the search warrant arrived. A Yes, sir, that's correct. THE COURT: And then in another question  maybe I misheard you  I thought you said that you didn't go in until Lt. Galland had arrived with the search warrant. A No, sir. I answered to the question when was the place searched. When I initially went in the first time it was not searched. It was secured. When Lt. Galland arrived the search warrant was read, at which time the search of the premises was commenced. THE COURT: What did you do when you secured the premises? A Sir, we just basically made sure that no one entered or left the place, and no evidence would be able to be destroyed. THE COURT: How did you make entrance? A We made entrance through the back door and through the front door. THE COURT: Simultaneously? A Simultaneously as you can get without any form of communication besides just someone going around the back door and you going in through the front door. THE COURT: You went in one way, did you? A Yes, sir. Myself and Deputy Carr went in the front door, and Deputy Cortez went in the back door. THE COURT: And what occurred when you went in the front door? A When I went in the front door I noticed the female and the small child and Deputy Cortez in the house, at which time we proceeded to check the rest of the house to see if anyone else was within the house. THE COURT: Did you go clear through the house? A We just went through and checked the rooms real fast to look and see if anyone was in either the rooms or the closets. THE COURT: How long was it after that that the search warrant arrived? A Approximately 4:00 o'clock when we went in, and approximately 4:10 is when Lt. Galland arrived with Mr. Gomez. THE COURT: Did those at the back door come in through the house and go all through it? A No, sir. Basically to my best recollection it was Officer Carr and myself who checked the room and secured the bedroom and the front room area. I believe Officer Cortez was the one that secured the kitchen area and the wash basin area. THE COURT: Now, you say you went in through the front door. A Yes, sir. THE COURT: What happened when you went through the front door. Did you knock first? A Yes, sir. We knocked on the door and advised them that we were deputy sheriffs from Canyon County Sheriff's Office, and to open up, that we had a search warrant, and we were going to secure the residence. THE COURT: You advised them to open up. A Yes, sir. THE COURT: You were from the sheriff's department, right, sir? A And we had a search warrant for the premises. THE COURT: And that you had a search warrant. A Yes, sir. THE COURT: But you actually didn't have a search warrant yet, and it arrived about ten minutes later. A I did not have the search warrant in my hand at the time. Lt. Galland had it, and he was in the City of Parma, and at which time he was placing Mr. Gomez under arrest, and the search warrant was for drugs, and at that point Lt. Galland advised us to secure the residence and make sure nothing was destroyed. THE COURT: Were you advised by telephone that the warrant was in Mr. Galland's possession at the time you went in the front door? A At the time, sir, I had personal knowledge that Lt. Galland had the search warrant. THE COURT: If he was in town and you were out at the residence, how far apart were the two residence, where the residence is and you say downtown Parma? A Probably three to four blocks. THE COURT: You say you had personal knowledge. A Yes, sir. We left the sheriff's office at the same time. THE COURT: When you got to the place to secure it, the search warrant wasn't there, but got there about ten minutes later. A Yes, sir. It arrived with Lt. Galland, who had Mr. Gomez under arrest. THE COURT: Now this is highly unusual that a Judge would get into questioning like this. It will be open to questions on either side. Mr. Fuller, you may proceed with any questions that you might want here. Q (By Mr. Fuller): At the time you went in the front door was Mrs. Gomez inside the house? A At the time I went through the front door when I got into the front room area I saw a female who I believed later was identified as Mrs. Gomez. Q You opened the front door yourself. A Yes, sir, I did. Q  And went in. A Yes, sir. Q Mrs. Gomez did not invite you in. A As far as I can remember I did not hear anyone answer. Q And after you got into the residence you went around and looked in the rooms in the residence, is that correct? A Briefly looked into the rooms to make sure there was no one else within the residence itself. Q And you and Officer Carr did this. A Officer Carr and Officer Cortez was the other officer that I went with. Q At that particular time did you have an arrest warrant for anybody that you found inside the house? A No, sir. The only one we had an arrest warrant for was Mr. Gomez. Q And did Officer Galland have that? A Yes, sir. MR. FULLER: I have no further questions, Your Honor. REDIRECT EXAMINATION BY MR. DRESCHER ON MOTION: Q Paul, at the time you entered this residence and you moved throughout the house would you describe in detail your activities and movements for us, please. A Yes, sir. As we arrived to the front of the residence I advised Officer Cortez to go around to the rear and secure the rear side of the house, and at that time he got out of the vehicle. He proceeded to go around to the north side of the building to the east side which would be  what we considered the rear of the house, and at that time also Officer Cortez went to the south side of the building and checked that to see if there was any other doors or anyone around there. He came back. We knocked on the door. We advised them. We identified ourselves and advised them of the purpose for being there, at which time we went into the residence. When we entered the residence Officer Cortez, a female and a small child was in the area of the front room and the kitchen, at which time myself and Officer Carr went to a bedroom which was off to my right, and went back around and went in and checked the wash basin area which was through the kitchen and back of the house and bathroom area to make sure that there was no one there. What we did was look through the door very quickly and briefly to see if there was someone standing there or behind the clothes in the closets and that is basically it.