Opinion ID: 1674080
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Heading: Reasonable Belief or Probable Cause to Arrest

Text: In resolving the first questions, we are guided by settled standards recognized by adjudications of our highest courts relating to search and seizure under both State and Federal Constitutions. Louisiana's standard is set by the legislature. Article 60 of our Code of Criminal Procedure permits an arrest by a peace officer without a warrant, When a felony in fact has been committed and he has reasonable cause to believe that such person has committed it.    Reasonable beliefor probable cause, as it is termed under the federal standardto make an arrest without a warrant exists when the facts and circumstances within the arresting officer's knowledge, and of which he has reasonably trustworthy information, are sufficient in themselves to justify a man of average caution in the belief that a felony has been or is being committed. Draper v. United States, 358 U.S. 307, 79 S.Ct. 329, 3 L.Ed.2d 327 (1959); State v. Green, 244 La. 80, 150 So.2d 571 (1963); State v. Aias, 243 La. 945, 149 So.2d 400 (1963); State v. Calascione, 243 La. 993, 149 So. 2d 417 (1963). Compliance with these standards is, in the first instance, a substantive determination to be made by the trial court from the facts and circumstances of the case. Ker v. State of California, 374 U.S. 23, 83 S.Ct. 1623, 10 L.Ed.2d 726 (1963); State v. McIlvaine, 247 La. 747, 174 So.2d 515 (1965). And in determining compliance with these standards it is not the proof required for conviction which concerns us. Proof required to satisfy the requirement of reasonable belief or probable cause is less and is what the terms imply: probabilities and practical considerations of everyday life on which reasonable men could reasonably be expected to act. Brinegar v. United States, 338 U.S. 160, 69 S.Ct. 1302, 93 L.Ed. 1879 (1949); State v. Bourg, 248 La. 844, 182 So. 2d 510 (1966). In such cases, because only factual issues are presented by the contentions, the setting in which the arrests took place becomes a factor of prime importance; facts and circumstances known to the arresting officers from which they might draw conclusions warranted by their training and experience become the focus of our attention with due allowance for the discretion vested in the trial court. When we view the facts as they pertain to the contentions presented by the bill of exceptions under consideration, we observe that: aside from the officers' positive knowledge that the robbery and killing had taken place, Hernandez had received information from Cleveland Johnson, whom he knew to be a reliable informant, that the participants would be at the Monticello Street house; Hernandez told Vigurie what he knew; the house was only a few blocks from the abandoned escape car; it was known to both Vigurie and Hernandez as the dwelling of a person often investigated for crime; when the officers announced their presence at the house the occupants were heard to run and scurry about, one of them attempting to escape out of the back door; and, upon entering, the 38-caliber cartridges and money were in plain view and no search was required to discover them. In addition to the authorities to which we have referred on this question, it is relevant to mention that flight has long been recognized as a legitimate ground for the inference of guilt, Allen v. United States, 164 U.S. 492, 17 S.Ct. 154, 41 L.Ed. 528 (1896); State v. Melton, 37 La.Ann. 77, 79 (1885); Marr's, Criminal Jurisprudence, Sec. 564 (1923 ed.). And it is not a search to see what is patent and obvious. Fagundes v. United States, 340 F.2d 673 (1st Cir. 1965). Applying the law here, we find the facts did establish probable cause and did warrant these officers in having a reasonable belief that the persons in the Monticello Street house were the parties who participated in the robbery and killing of Goalda Brookman. The arrests made under these circumstances were legal under both state and federal constitutional standards. And the search and seizure made almost simultaneously were incident thereto. The money and shot-gun barrel and Vigurie's testimony concerning what he heard and saw in connection with the arrests were therefore admissible in evidence.