Opinion ID: 1996085
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Voluntariness of Consent to Search: Verbal Response

Text: [¶ 19] Bailey first contends that he did not consent at all to the search of his computer because he made no verbal reply to Beaulieu's request. We review a finding of voluntary consent for clear error. State v. Kremen, 2000 ME 117, ¶ 7, 754 A.2d 964, 967; State v. Koucoules, 343 A.2d 860, 873 (Me.1974). The State has the burden of demonstrating by a preponderance of the evidence that an objective manifestation of consent was given by word or gesture by one bearing an appropriate relationship to the property searched. State v. Fredette, 411 A.2d 65, 68 (Me.1979) (citations omitted). Although an individual may not express her consent to a search in spoken or written words, her actions are still capable of manifesting her consent to the search. See State v. Cress, 576 A.2d 1366, 1367 (Me.1990) (affirming that the defendant consented to the search by assisting and cooperating with the authorities, despite not consenting to the search either orally or in writing). [¶ 20] The record amply supports the suppression court's determination that Bailey consented to the initial search of his computer through his actions. Although he did not utter or write any words of consent at that point in the encounter, Bailey resided at the house, stated that the computer belonged to him, and clearly manifested his consent to the search of his computer by leading the detective to and assisting the detective in waking up the computer. The court did not clearly err in finding that Bailey's actions constituted an expression of consent.