Opinion ID: 492736
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: False Statements and Omissions

Text: 13 Whether false statements or omissions are intentional or reckless is a factual finding reviewed under the clearly erroneous standard. United States v. McQuisten, 795 F.2d 858, 863 (9th Cir.1986); Ritter, 752 F.2d at 439. Whether misstatements and omissions are material to a finding of probable cause is subject to de novo review. McQuisten, 795 F.2d at 863. 14 A district court must suppress evidence seized under a warrant when an affiant has knowingly or recklessly included false information in the affidavit. United States v. Leon, 468 U.S. 897, 104 S.Ct. 3405, 82 L.Ed.2d 677 (1984). The Ninth Circuit has likewise held that a defendant may challenge a facially valid warrant when it contains deliberate or reckless omissions of facts that tend to mislead. United States v. Stanert, 762 F.2d 775, 781 (9th Cir.), amended, 769 F.2d 1410 (9th Cir.1985). 15 The defendant must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that there was a knowing and intentional falsehood or a reckless disregard for the truth, and that the challenged statement was essential to the finding of probable cause. Franks, 438 U.S. at 171-72, 98 S.Ct. at 2684. 16 The determination of whether misstatements or omissions are knowing or reckless or merely negligent is a factual inquiry but it is guided by cases in which this court has found reckless disregard by an affiant. See, e.g., United States v. Davis, 714 F.2d 896 (9th Cir.1983) (affiant signed statement written in the first person knowing that it would mislead the magistrate into believing the affiant had first-hand knowledge of the facts therein); Stanert, 762 F.2d 775 (reckless false statement that suspect had been arrested without mentioning there had been no conviction and reckless omission in stating the affiant investigated a lab blowup at the suspect's residence a year before without mentioning the suspect had purchased and moved into the residence after the explosion); United States v. Chesher, 678 F.2d 1353 (9th Cir.1982) (reckless disregard in saying a suspect was a current member of the Hell's Angels when affiant had been conducting an investigation for some time which should have apprised him that was untrue). 17 The district court decided that Offield was negligent in preparing the affidavit but that there was no evidence that his conduct was intentional or reckless. The court added: 18 In spite of that, there are two areas that give me cause even with this explanation, that is, the fact the rap sheet information--the fact that he misread it and maybe even the fact that he didn't bring to the Magistrate's attention the fact that the one conviction shown there was about fifteen years old. The other piece of information in the warrant that gives me cause is the registration, putting in the affidavit that he had information that a car registered to Mejia was seen at the Doziers' property. 19 Those things are hard to reconcile. But I'll stand by my findings that there is insufficient findings to find that he lied intentionally or with a reckless disregard for the truth when he included that information in the search warrant. 20 The first significant false statement is that Offield stated Dozier had a record detailing convictions for drug violations. In fact Dozier had only one conviction for the use of a forged prescription. The affidavit also omitted the information that the conviction occurred 15 years earlier, when Dozier was 19, and had been set aside and dismissed pursuant to California law. The district court was concerned that the false use of the plural may have contributed to the magistrate's finding of probable cause. Because Offield explained that he simply did not know how to read the California rap sheets the district court determined the misstatement was a product of negligence. The district court did not regard the omission of the time and exact nature of the earlier conviction as material because it was a drug offense and therefore probative of likely involvement in the marijuana growing crime under investigation. This finding is not clearly erroneous. 21 The other significant misstatement is Offield's assertion that Barr had told him he had seen two vehicles on Dozier's property which were registered to Mejia and Giacchero (the suspects arrested near the marijuana garden in June). Barr did not tell Offield the cars were registered to Mejia or Giacchero, and Offield had done a Department of Motor Vehicles check and knew that no cars on Dozier's property at the time of Mejia's arrest were registered to Mejia. It is, as the district court said, hard to reconcile Offield's actual knowledge with his false statement, but the court's determination that his conduct reflects neither knowing nor reckless disregard of the truth is not clearly erroneous.