Opinion ID: 1829968
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Fruits of the Search Incident to Arrest

Text: On August 31, 1987, Hansen filed a motion to suppress, challenging the prosecution's right to use as evidence the fruits of the search incident to his arrest on the early morning hours of April 11, 1987. As grounds, Hansen argued, inter alia, that Officers Keel and Deschamp had no authority to stop and arrest him at the time. Of particular concern to Hansen are the two guns the officers seized, incident to the arrest: (1) a .38 caliber handgun  the bullet removed from Trooper Ladner's neck had been fired from a .38 caliber gun, and (2) the MHSP standard issue.357 magnum, checked out to Trooper Ladner. Both were found in the car in which Hansen was riding at the time of his arrest. These facts given the jury no doubt devastated the defense. Hansen renews the argument on appeal. The point may be quickly dispatched. It will be recalled that Hansen and Krecic had left the Pat Ladner home riding with Jody Wade and Charles Williams in Williams' Ranchero. They had gone through the roadblock manned by Officers Keel and Deschamp, and, shortly thereafter, Randall Ladner and Wesley Ladner had approached the officers and told them that there were in the vehicle a young man and woman, whom the officers quickly realized may well be their suspects. Officers Keel and Deschamp took off in hot pursuit and soon caught and detained the Ranchero, placed Hansen and Krecic under arrest and searched the vehicle. The Circuit Court found that the officers had probable cause for both the arrest and search and subsequent seizures. These findings are supported by substantial evidence. Turner v. State, 573 So.2d 657, 665 (Miss. 1990); Nathan v. State, 552 So.2d 99, 103 (Miss. 1989); Woodward v. State, 533 So.2d 418, 426 (Miss. 1988); West v. State, 463 So.2d 1048, 1056 (Miss. 1985). Alternatively, the search and seizures were permissibly incidental to Hansen's arrest. We affirm.