Opinion ID: 2637971
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Franks v. Delaware hearing.

Text: Long argues that the Court of Appeals failed to perform the analysis used by federal courts reviewing claims that a law enforcement officer submitted a false affidavit, referred to as Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154, 57 L. Ed.2d 667, 98 S. Ct. 2674 (1978), claims. In Franks, 438 U.S. at 155-56, the United States Supreme Court stated: [W]here the defendant makes a substantial preliminary showing that a false statement knowingly and intentionally, or with reckless disregard for the truth, was included by the affiant in the warrant affidavit, and if the allegedly false statement is necessary to the finding of probable cause, the Fourth Amendment requires that a hearing be held at the defendant's request. In the event that at that hearing the allegation of perjury or reckless disregard is established by the defendant by a preponderance of the evidence, and, with the affidavit's false material set to one side, the affidavit's remaining content is insufficient to establish probable cause, the search warrant must be voided and the fruits of the search excluded to the same extent as if probable cause was lacking on the face of the affidavit. In State v. Jacques, 225 Kan. 38, 587 P.2d 861 (1978), this court modified Kansas law to comport with Franks, creating an exception to the previous general rule that a defendant could not dispute allegations in the affidavit presented in connection with an application for a search warrant. Following Franks, this court said that an evidentiary hearing would be required where the movant's claim was supported by allegations and an offer of proof under oath that the affidavit or application for search warrant contains material statements of deliberate falsehood or of reckless disregard for the truth. 225 Kan. at 44. The Court of Appeals found that McCormick's petition did allege that Long made false statements and omitted exculpatory information in her affidavit and that Long's affidavit was instrumental in the determination of probable cause. 28 Kan. App.2d at 750-51. It further found that law clearly prohibits swearing to and filing a false affidavit to procure an arrest warrant. 28 Kan. App.2d at 751. Long points to the allegations in McCormick's petition as conclusory and nonspecific. The allegations contained in McCormick's petition in this regard are that (1) the affidavit placed the alleged victim of the stalking, Y.H., in two different states on the same date, a factual impossibility that McCormick argues illustrates Long's knowledge of the falsity of those facts; and that (2) Long knowingly omitted exculpatory information. Long urges this court to require McCormick to specify which portions of the affidavit were knowingly false at the time she signed it. Long's argument is that there is no way the Court of Appeals could ascertain whether Long knew the statements were false or the omissions were exculpatory at the time she swore out the affidavit without more specificity from McCormick. We agree. A plaintiff must meet two requirements at a Franks hearing on the truthfulness of statements underlying a search warrant: (1) The movant must demonstrate that the affidavit contained erroneous information, and (2) the movant must demonstrate that the affiant knew that the affidavit was false or at least demonstrate that the affiant recklessly disregarded the truth. See Franks, 438 U.S. at 171; Jacques, 225 Kan. at 44. Until these two requirements are met, there is no way for an appellate court to determine whether dismissal of the § 1983 claim was proper. We must note, however, that a Franks hearing applies only where the affiant is a government agent and the defendant's challenge is supported by sworn allegations that false statements made knowingly, intentionally, or with reckless disregard for the truth were included in the affidavit, and the false or reckless statement is necessary to the finding of probable cause. State v. Jensen, 259 Kan. 781, 789, 915 P.2d 109, cert. denied 519 U.S. 948 (1996). In that regard, the issue of whether Long acted as a private person or as a government agent in swearing out the affidavit becomes an important consideration.