Opinion ID: 365884
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: intercepted communications

Text: 52 The paramount issue of these appeals deals with the propriety of certain language contained in the Title III wire tap order. The bulk of the government's cases against these individuals stems from recordings of their conversations. 53 On March 31, 1976, Judge Hodges of the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, signed an order authorizing interception of oral communications based upon an application and an affidavit in support of the application. Pursuant to that order, interception of communications at Callahan's Bail Bonds began on April 1, 1976. Subsequently, two extension orders were granted based on information developed from the intercepted communications. The interception was conducted after the installation of two in-office listening devices in the telephones at Callahan's business office. Interception of communications at Callahan's Bail Bonds continued until May 26, 1976. 54 All appellants urge that the trial court erred in not granting their motion to suppress these communications. In particular, appellants claim that the order authorizing the placement of listening devices in the Bail Bond office, which by its terms authorized surreptitious entry for the purpose of installing, maintaining and removing these devices, was too broad in that the order failed to give guidelines to be followed in such entries. This resulted, appellants argue, in an unconstitutional abdication of judicial control and supervision by allowing prosecutorial and investigative personnel to determine their Fourth Amendment rights. 55 We have held these matters in abeyance pending the Supreme Court's ruling in Dalia v. United States, --- U.S. ----, 99 S.Ct. 1682, 60 L.Ed.2d 177 (1979), as all parties agreed this resolution would probable provide the controlling authority. The Supreme Court has now spoken and specifically rejected appellants' contentions. 56 The petitioner in Dalia raised the same issues as appellants here. The Court in clear direct language disposes of all of these contentions. It rejects any basis for a constitutional rule proscribing covert entries. The Court recognized that while 57 Title III does not refer explicitly to covert entry. The language, structure, and history of the statute, however, demonstrate that Congress meant to authorize courts in certain specified circumstances to approve electronic surveillance without limitation on the means necessary to its accomplishment, so long as they are reasonable under the circumstances, 58 --- U.S. at ----, 99 S.Ct. at 1689, and then concluded: 59 We make explicit, therefore, what has long been implicit in our decisions dealing with this subject: The Fourth Amendment does not prohibit per se a covert entry performed for the purpose of installing otherwise legal electronic bugging equipment. 60 Id. 61 The Supreme Court emphasizes that any other interpretation of Title III or 18 U.S.C. § 2518 would thwart the Congressional purpose. The opinion also rejects totally any notion that the warrant or order must set forth the procedures to be followed by the executing officers. It repeats that both bugging and wire-tapping forms of surveillance are covered by the procedures used Sub judice and the receipt of evidence thereby obtained.