Opinion ID: 1092213
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Motion to Suppress the Evidence

Text: The defendant relies on La. Const. Art. 1, § 5 [2] to support his position that warrantless searches are allowable only in four instances. 1. Searches pursuant to a standard inventory search. 2. Searches incident to a lawful arrest. 3. Consensual searches. 4. Searches undertaken under exigent circumstances. The fourth amendment of the U.S. Constitution [3] also protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. This amendment has long been interpreted to protect individuals from unreasonable governmental actions. Its primary purpose is to restrain governmental authorities. It was not intended to protect against private trespasses. Burdeau v. McDowell, 256 U.S. 465, 41 S.Ct. 574, 65 L.Ed. 1048 (1921); U.S. v. De La Fuente, 548 F.2d 528 (5th Cir.1977); U.S. v. Jacobsen, ___ U.S. ___, 104 S.Ct. 1652, 80 L.Ed. 85 (1984). Hence, the search in this case conducted by the employees of DHL was not subject to the limitations of the Fourth Amendment because they were not governmental agents or employees. Nor can it be said that in the particular case that the protections of the Louisiana Constitution were violated. The facts show conclusively that the initial search of the package was reasonable. In the first place, prior to sending the package, Gentry signed an airway bill furnished by DHL. On the front of that bill, in a visible black square just below the shipper's signature line, the following informative language was printed: All incident transportation services provided hereunder are subject to the terms and conditions of carriage printed on the reverse side of this airway bill. On the back of this bill of lading, the first sentence of paragraph 6 provided: DHL reserves the right to inspect the documents and parcels consigned by its customers to insure that all documents are capable of carriage to the State or Country or destination(s) within the standard operating procedures, custom procedures and handling methods of DHL. According to Mr. Schoenbaechler, objects other than documents require much more paper work by DHL to satisfy French customs regulations. DHL employees in Kenner became alarmed when they handled the package, felt a hard object, and, in their experienced opinion, thought that the package contained something other than paper. It was therefore reasonable for them to open the package, ultimately exposing the drugs to view. As for any subsequent Fourth Amendment violations by the Kenner Police, in this particular case and under these particular facts, we agree with the holding of the court of appeal. Once the private search by the DHL employees revealed the cocaine, the airway bill and Mr. Gentry's personal check, the subsequent search by the police did not violate any legitimate expectation of privacy that would trigger a violation of the Fourth Amendment. U.S. v. Jacobsen, supra; State v. Gentry, 450 So.2d 773 (La.App. 5th Cir.1984).