Opinion ID: 1742511
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: The Validity of the Arrest Warrant

Text: The Georgia parole violation warrant was validly issued in September of 1990, shortly after Langley left that state without permission. Defendant was arrested in Louisiana on the outstanding Georgia warrant in February 1992, about 14 months after the Georgia warrant was issued, and only a few days after the murder of Jeremy Guillory. The arresting officers told defendant that they were arresting him for the parole violation, but also that they wanted to question him about the missing child. They twice advised Langley of his Miranda rights, and he confessed almost immediately on simply being asked whether he killed the boy. After the officers again explained his rights, and after Langley again expressly waived them, he confessed in detail, and allowed police to videotape him as he confessed and led them to the boy's body. In all, Langley was advised of his rights no less than four times. Langley argues that the parole violation warrant became invalid because Georgia waived its right to execute it. Parolees and probationers have due process rights concerning revocation of their paroles or probations. Gagnon v. Scarpelli, 411 U.S. 778, 93 S.Ct. 1756, 36 L.Ed.2d 656 (1973). However, these due process rights are less than those involved in an ordinary criminal prosecution. Id., 411 U.S. at 788-89, 93 S.Ct. at 1762-63; Morrissey v. Brewer, 408 U.S. 471, 92 S.Ct. 2593, 33 L.Ed.2d 484 (1972). An unreasonable delay in executing a parole violation warrant may violate a parolee's due process rights in some cases. See State v. Savoy, 429 So.2d 542 (La.App. 2d Cir.1983). However, this is not such a case. Some courts have spoken in terms of staleness and waiver with regard to unreasonable delays in the execution of parole violation warrants. See, e.g., Greene v. Michigan Dept. of Corrections, 315 F.2d 546, 547-48 (6th Cir.1963); United States v. Hamilton, 708 F.2d 1412, 1414 (9th Cir.1983). However, the underlying rationale of waiver or staleness concepts is the deprivation of the parolee's or probationer's constitutional rights to due process. See People ex rel. Flores v. Dalsheim, 66 A.D.2d 381, 413 N.Y.S.2d 188, 192 (App.Div.1979); Barker v. State, 479 N.W.2d 275, 278-79 (Iowa 1991). To hold that a parole violation warrant becomes stale by the mere passage of time alone would be to reward an elusive parole violator for remaining unavailable. Flores, 413 N.Y.S.2d at 192 (delay of almost three years not a violation of due process); Barker, 479 N.W.2d 275 (four year delay not violation of due process); Shelton v. United States Bd. of Parole, 388 F.2d 567 (D.C.Cir. 1967). In addition, waiver alone is not the proper rationale for invalidating a warrant, because waiver implies both a knowing relinquishment of a right, and the authority of a parole officer to relinquish that right on behalf of the state. Flores, 413 N.Y.S.2d at 192. See also Saunders v. Michigan Dept. of Corrections, 406 F.Supp. 1364, 1366-67 (E.D.Mich.1976) (noting that mere inaction does not amount to waiver). Under a due process analysis, the length of time between the issuance and execution of a parole violation warrant is but one factor in determining its continuing validity. Barker v. State, 479 N.W.2d 275, 279 (Iowa 1991). A delay in execution must be unreasonable before due process is affected. United States v. Fisher, 895 F.2d 208, 210 (5th Cir.1990); United States v. Hill, 719 F.2d 1402, 1405 (9th Cir.1983); State v. Newman, 527 So.2d 1036-39 (La.App. 2d Cir. 1988). Factors in assessing reasonableness include (1) the state's diligence in attempting to serve the warrant; (2) the reason for the delay in serving the warrant; (3) the conduct of the parolee in frustrating service; and (4) actual prejudice suffered by the parolee as a result of the delay. Fisher, 895 F.2d at 210; Barker, 479 N.W.2d at 278-79. We also note that the aim of the entire parole concept is to help individuals reintegrate into society as constructive individuals as soon as they are able, without being confined for the full term of the sentence imposed. Morrissey, 408 U.S. at 477-79, 92 S.Ct at 2598-98. In accordance with this aim, parole authorities have inherently broad discretion in the supervision of parolees. Id. Parole authorities are not in a race against the clock to execute parole violation warrants. United States v. Gernie, 228 F.Supp. 329, 338 (S.D.N.Y.1964). Nor must arrest and revocation be an automatic or reflexive reaction to every violation. Hamilton, 708 F.2d at 1415; United States v. Tyler, 605 F.2d 851, 853 (5th Cir.1979). According to the record, including testimony adduced at two separate suppression hearings on this issue, in the time between the issuance of the warrant and its execution, Georgia authorities may have initiated a process which might eventually have led to transferring Langley's parole supervision to Louisiana authorities. Langley claims to have spoken with his Georgia parole officer, Ben Poole, who purportedly said they could work something out. (However, the defendant did not subpoena Poole.) Also about this time, Elizabeth Clark, the Louisiana parole agent, was in communication with Georgia authorities through her office. At their request, she verified that Langley was residing at his parents' home in Louisiana. Though Clark had no official authority to supervise Langley, she attempted to maintain contact with him unofficially. However, in November of 1991, without any transfer having been accomplished, Langley stopped reporting to Clark. In December of 1991, he moved from his parents' house without informing Clark, who could not locate him. In fact, Langley was not finally located until after the murder, when Clark informed investigators of Langley's last known residence (his parents' house). The investigators matched Clark's description of Langley with the description given by the victim's mother and discovered he was living in the Lawrence house where the murder occurred. Also in September of 1991, Langley asked Louisiana State Trooper Charles Jones to see if there was a Georgia warrant out for Langley. At a pre-trial hearing, Jones testified that he told Langley he would check for warrants, and that he advised Langley to get in touch with local parole authorities to see about getting his parole transferred to Louisiana. Jones also testified that the first time he checked the computer for a warrant he found none, but a few days later he checked again and did find the Georgia warrant. Jones further testified that when discovered the warrant, he went out to arrest Langley at Langley's work place, but could not find him there. Finally, Jones testified that when he did see Langley some time later, he assumed that Langley had probably reached an arrangement with the Georgia parole authorities, based on Jones's discussion with Langley when they first spoke in September, as well as Jones's belief that Langley and his employer were attempting to contact Georgia authorities. The court of appeal accurately summarized the matter when denying relief on Langley's motion to suppress: Louisiana was investigating the defendant and the transfer had not been officially completed. Until the transfer of the defendant's parole supervision had been completed, Georgia retained the authority to execute the warrant. During this period, the defendant once again absconded from supervision, never informing anyone about his new residence, and exhibited his inability to conform to conditions of parole. The defendant's actions had frustrated the attempts by both Georgia and Louisiana authorities either to transfer parole supervision or to execute the parole violation warrant. State v. Langley, 94-00326 (La.App. 3d Cir. 1994); 635 So.2d 784, 785. Under these circumstances, Langley's due process rights were not violated. First, law enforcement authorities were reasonably diligent in attempting to serve the warrant. Langley's whereabouts were simply not known or easily ascertainable from September 1990 to September 1991. Second, the Georgia authorities had a valid reason for delaying the execution of the warrant while attempting to transfer parole. Instead of having Langley arrested immediately in September of 1991, they exercised their discretion in attempting to fulfill the aims of the parole concept. They did not waive their right to execute the warrant, nor did they relieve Langley of his parole obligations. Any attempt at a transfer of parole was necessarily conditioned on Langley's cooperation. Third, Langley's own conduct frustrated service of the warrant. After no more than three months, and before any transfer of supervision could occur, Langley stopped his unofficial reports to Clark, and moved from his residence. Efforts to locate him had to begin anew. Fourth and finally, Langley cannot claim he was prejudiced by the delay in his arrest, partly because he was responsible for the delay, and also because he had no reasonable basis to expect that any parole transfer would proceed without adverse consequences to him if he did not do his part. A delay in execution of a parole violation warrant may frustrate the violator's due process rights if the delay undermines his ability to contest the violation, or to proffer mitigating evidence. United States v. Tippens, 39 F.3d 88, 90 (5th Cir.1994). These elements of prejudice are not present in this case. In addition, we note that the defendant claims that only Georgia waived its right to execute the warrant. The Louisiana arresting authorities confirmed the existence of a facially and objectively valid warrant and relied in good faith upon on it. Even if we decided that there were problems with the warrant, which we do not, we would not be inclined to apply the exclusionary rule against those acting in good faith on a facially valid warrant. See United States v. Leon, 468 U.S. 897, 918-19, 104 S.Ct. 3405, 3418, 82 L.Ed.2d 677 (1984). Cf. also United States v. Hensley, 469 U.S. 221, 105 S.Ct. 675, 83 L.Ed.2d 604 (1985) (police may act on wanted bulletins issued by police departments possessing probable cause or reasonable suspicion to have the defendant seized).