Opinion ID: 473050
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Issuance of a Search Warrant and Participation in the Search

Text: 25 The Josephs allege that the prosecutors sought issuance of a search warrant at the same time they filed the complaint and requested arrest warrants. The preparation of and application for the search warrant concededly fall in the gray area of immunity analysis because they display characteristics of both advocatory and investigative functions. It can be argued that such conduct is no more than 'initiating a prosecution and presenting the state's case....'  Groff v. Eckman, 525 F.Supp. 375, 377 (E.D.Pa.1981) (quoting Imbler, 424 U.S. at 431, 96 S.Ct. at 995). On the other hand it has been observed that 26 a prosecutor who assists, directs, or otherwise participates ... in obtaining evidence prior to an indictment undoubtedly is functioning more in his investigative capacity than in his quasi-judicial capacities of deciding which suits to bring and conducting them in court. 27 Marrero v. City of Hialeah, 625 F.2d 499, 505 (5th Cir.1980) (quoting Imbler, 424 U.S. at 424, 96 S.Ct. at 992), cert. denied, 450 U.S. 913, 101 S.Ct. 1353, 67 L.Ed.2d 337 (1981); see Maxfield v. Thomas, 557 F.Supp. 1123, 1129 (D. Idaho 1983) (drafting and application for search warrant which was executed after filing of a criminal complaint constituted a quasi-judicial function as opposed to a pre-complaint application and search which would have constituted investigatory conduct); see also Robichaud, 351 F.2d at 533; Lewis, 227 F.2d at 124 (both cases, cited by Imbler, supra, hold that a prosecutor may function as an investigator merely by directing police-gathering functions). 28 Clearly, decisions of when and how to prosecute are not made in a vacuum, so that in some cases the directing of police to secure further evidence may be necessary to and part of a decision to prosecute. However, in other circumstances such activity may be merely investigatory. Consequently, a factual inquiry is necessary in order to determine the role in which this challenged activity was conducted. Forsyth, 599 F.2d at 1215; Bushouse v. County of Kalamazoo, 93 F.R.D. 881, 884 (W.D.Mich.1982). 29 The Josephs also allege that an unnamed prosecutor participated in a search with the police of Lawrence Joseph's grocery store; the search was not confined to the warrant. We have no doubt that such conduct, if true, is not subject to absolute immunity. McSurely, 697 F.2d at 320; Marrero, 625 F.2d at 505; Hampton v. Chicago, 484 F.2d at 609; Maxfield, 557 F.Supp. at 1130 (citing Jacobson v. Rose, 592 F.2d 515 (9th Cir.1978), cert. denied, 442 U.S. 930, 99 S.Ct. 2861, 61 L.Ed.2d 298 (1979)). As simply, but succinctly, stated in Robichaud, 351 F.2d at 536: 30 If [a prosecutor] acts in the role of a policeman, then why should he not be liable, as is the policeman, if, in so acting, he has deprived the plaintiff of rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Federal Constitution and laws? 31 Therefore, the district court erred in dismissing the case in light of the above allegations of investigatory conduct.