Opinion ID: 1146517
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Probable Cause for Search Warrants

Text: Doorbal contends that warrants employed by police to search his apartment, home, and vehicle (a Nissan 300ZX) were not supported by probable cause and, therefore, the State used evidence [31] obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment [32] to convict him. Doorbal particularly focuses on the initial search warrant issued by the trial judge, and on the trial judge's denial of his pretrial motion to suppress evidence obtained pursuant to the initial and subsequent search warrants. In Terry v. State, 668 So.2d 954, 958 (Fla.1996), we stated: A trial court's ruling on a motion to suppress comes to the appellate court clothed with a presumption of correctness and the court must interpret the evidence and reasonable inferences and deductions derived therefrom in a manner most favorable to sustaining the trial court's ruling. The United States Supreme Court has stated: Although in a particular case it may not be easy to determine when an affidavit demonstrates the existence of probable cause, the resolution of doubtful or marginal cases in this area should be largely determined by the preference accorded to warrants.... Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. 213, 232 n. 10, 103 S.Ct. 2317, 76 L.Ed.2d 527 (1983) (quoting United States v. Ventresca, 380 U.S. 102, 109, 85 S.Ct. 741, 13 L.Ed.2d 684 (1965)). The existence of probable cause is not susceptible to formulaic determination. See id. at 230-39, 103 S.Ct. 2317. Rather, it is the probability, and not a prima facie showing, of criminal activity [that] is the standard of probable cause. Id. at 235, 103 S.Ct. 2317 (quoting Spinelli v. United States, 393 U.S. 410, 419, 89 S.Ct. 584, 21 L.Ed.2d 637 (1969)); see also Schmitt v. State, 590 So.2d 404, 409 (Fla.1991) (As long as the neutral magistrate has a substantial basis for concluding that a search would uncover evidence of wrongdoing, the requirement of probable cause is satisfied.). A judge considering a request for a search warrant must consider the totality of the circumstances included within the four corners of the affidavits presented to him or her. See Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. at 230-31, 103 S.Ct. 2317. The initial search warrant was based on a supporting affidavit submitted by Metro-Dade police detective Salvatore Garafalo. Garafalo and personnel from other Miami-area police agencies had been investigating the attempted murder of Marc Schiller along with the murders of Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton. The affidavit detailed the information that police had received from Schiller, who described how he knew that Lugo and Delgado were involved in his abduction. It also indicated that Schiller's neighbor, Manuel Salgar, informed police that Lugo was frequently accompanied on visits inside Schiller's home (during the time that Schiller was being held hostage) by a dark-skinned male who drove a Nissan 300ZX automobile. Based on information from Schiller, police came to suspect that during these visits Doorbal, Lugo, and others removed valuables and other possessions belonging to Schiller. Vehicle registration records showed that a white Nissan 300ZX automobile was registered to Doorbal. Moreover, police discovered that Doorbal worked as a trainer at Sun Gym. Codefendant John Mese was a principal in Sun Gym, and had notarized a quitclaim deed which putatively transferred ownership of Schiller's home to Lugo's ex-wife, Lillian Torres. Police became suspicious about the quitclaim transaction when Schiller informed them that on the date that his wife's purported signature was affixed to the quitclaim deed, there was no question that she was in South America because she had gone there with their children while Schiller was being held captive. [33] Evidence existed that Doorbal, Lugo, and Delgado, along with others, had extorted at least $1 million from Schiller. Moreover, police discovered that during the time frame of their investigation into the attempted murder of Schiller and the murders of Griga and Furton, Doorbal had purchased a home for $150,000 in cash. The supporting affidavit also indicated that police were aware that Griga and Furton had been missing since the evening of May 24, 1995. Judi Bartusz, a friend and neighbor of Griga's, informed police that she saw both Doorbal and Lugo in the company of Griga and Furton on the evening of May 24. [34] Griga informed Bartusz that the four were going to a Miami Lakes restaurant for dinner. Doorbal and Lugo left in a gold Mercedes, while Griga and Furton left in Griga's yellow Lamborghini. When Bartusz later noticed that Griga's yellow Lamborghini was missing from his home, [35] she went to the restaurant and noticed that a gold Mercedes was still parked there, but not Griga's yellow Lamborghini. Investigation by police indicated that the gold Mercedes was registered to Delgado, and that Lugo was frequently seen driving the vehicle. When we consider the totality of the circumstances which faced the trial court in its decision as to whether probable cause existed to justify the issuance of a search warrant in Doorbal's case, the trial court did not err in issuing the warrant or in denying Doorbal's motion to suppress. Taken as a whole, the above circumstances provide probable cause to justify issuance of a warrant to search Doorbal's automobile, apartment, and home. Moreover, the cases on which Doorbal relies are distinguishable. In Glass v. State, 604 So.2d 5 (Fla. 4th DCA 1992), the only purported indicia of probable cause to search a defendant's home for gambling-related activity were conclusory allegations that the home was being used for gambling purposes, and that the defendant had been seen on an unspecified day counting money in the home. The facts in the instant case present a picture of far greater culpability and involvement. In Getreu v. State, 578 So.2d 412 (Fla. 2d DCA 1991), the warrant in question was completely lacking in specificity as to the drug activity alleged to have taken place in the residence in question. Conversely, in Doorbal's case the supporting affidavit not only placed Doorbal and Lugo in the company of Griga and Furton very near to the time of their disappearance, but also provided sufficient links to Doorbal's probable association with Lugo and Mese, who were clearly alleged to have been involved in activities related to the extortion of Schiller. Thus, a common sense determination leads to the conclusion that the trial court did not err in concluding there was a probability that evidence related to the crimes against Schiller, Griga, and Furton would be found in Doorbal's automobile, apartment, and home. See Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. at 230-31, 103 S.Ct. 2317. Given the great deference ... accord[ed][to] the trial court's probable cause determination, Terry, 668 So.2d at 959, we conclude that Doorbal is entitled to no relief from the denial of his motion to suppress. [36]