Opinion ID: 539912
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Search of Barry's Vehicles

Text: 31 Barry alleges the warrantless search of his car and van violated the fourth amendment. We disagree. 32 The Supreme Court has made clear that a warrant is not required to search a vehicle if it is being used on the highways, or if it is readily capable of such use and is found stationary in a place not regularly used for residential purposes. California v. Carney, 471 U.S. 386, 392, 105 S.Ct. 2066, 2070, 85 L.Ed.2d 406 (1985). Although a warrant may not be required, the authorities must have probable cause to search the vehicle. Id. at 395, 105 S.Ct. at 2071; see also, United States v. Martin, 806 F.2d 204 (8th Cir.1986) (warrantless search of vehicle parked in front of house upheld when officer had probable cause to believe objects he saw on front seat were machine gun parts belonging to suspect who lived in the house). 33 Barry's car clearly was parked in a place not regularly used for residential purposes, and the FBI had probable cause to search it. Barry was arrested as he prepared to unlock his car. At that time the FBI agents knew he had received the marked money, but he had eluded their surveillance for about fifteen minutes and he did not then have the money on his person. Barry's car was in a different place than when he first arrived at the hotel. We find the combination of these facts gave the FBI probable cause to suspect that the car might contain the money or other evidence leading to it. 34 Barry insists, however, that the FBI could have seized and secured his car while awaiting a warrant without any risk that evidence inside it would be lost. The FBI had him in custody, and agents were available at the scene to watch the car. The Supreme Court has stated plainly, however, that law enforcement authorities need not seize and await a warrant to search a vehicle pulled over or found in a nonresidential area if probable cause exists to search it immediately. See Chambers v. Maroney, 399 U.S. 42, 52, 90 S.Ct. 1975, 1981, 26 L.Ed.2d 419 (1970) (For constitutional purposes, we see no difference between on the one hand seizing and holding a car before presenting the probable cause issue to a magistrate and on the other hand carrying out an immediate search without a warrant. Given probable cause to search, either course is reasonable under the Fourth Amendment.); see also United States v. Ross, 456 U.S. 798, 807 n. 9, 102 S.Ct. 2157, 2163 n. 9, 72 L.Ed.2d 572 (1982) (explaining Chambers rule). 35 Moreover, the agents had reason to fear that delaying the search of the car might allow the money to escape. Barry was seen meeting a dark-haired woman. If the money was not in the car, it might be in transport from the scene. The loss of time waiting for a warrant would hinder attempts to find the escaping courier. The search of the car did not violate the fourth amendment. 36 The same analysis applies to the search of Barry's van. The FBI found the key to the van while searching Barry after his arrest, and they located the van by trying the key in the locks of every van parked in a ramp near the hotel. Before searching the van, the agents determined its license plates were registered to a travel agency connected with Barry. 37 Applying the standards of Carney, the van was found stationary in a place not regularly used for residential purposes. The FBI knew it was connected to Barry, and it was in a place Barry could have gone during the fifteen minutes he eluded FBI surveillance. The FBI also knew Barry had received and disposed of the money during the fifteen minute period, and they knew he had the key to the van during that time. At the time of the van search, the FBI still had not found the money. On these facts we find the FBI had probable cause to suspect that the van might contain the money or evidence leading to it. 7 In addition, an unknown, dark-haired woman was still at large, and the van appeared capable of being moved. The search of the van did not violate the fourth amendment. 38 Finally, even if we were to find fourth amendment violations here, admitting the evidence clearly would be harmless error. None of the evidence seized from the car and van--tape, rubber gloves, a letter to a judge, and a tablecloth with fluorescent powder--was important to Barry's conviction, and the other evidence against him was overwhelming.