Opinion ID: 1226361
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Propriety of the District Court's Findings Regarding Kuehne's Motion to Suppress Evidence

Text: Kuehne, proceeding pro se, next alleges that the district court failed to properly record its findings regarding its denial of Kuehne's motion to suppress evidence. Because Kuehne did not raise this issue before the district court, it is reviewed for plain error on appeal. Caver, 470 F.3d at 245.
Kuehne alleges that the district court erred when it made factual findings regarding his motion to suppress orally, rather than in writing, in violation of Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 12. [11] We find this allegation to be without merit. Prior to the commencement of his trial, Kuehne filed a motion to suppress evidence, including the names of potential witnesses, obtained as a result of a seizure of his cellular phone and review of his phone directory. After conducting a suppression hearing, the district court granted Kuehne's motion upon finding that the seizure of Kuehne's phone was conducted without warrant and without justification by any exception to the warrant requirement. The district court, however, reserved ruling on the extent of the evidence to be suppressed pending an additional hearing to determine if the government would have obtained the evidence through an independent source. Upon hearing the additional testimony from government witnesses, the district court found that, although Kuehne's cellular phone was seized in violation of the Fourth Amendment, the names of four witnesses could be offered at trial because the government knew of the witnesses from other sources. The district court orally announced his findings in lieu of a written opinion. This was not in error. Rule 12 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure provides that [w]hen factual issues are involved in deciding a motion, the court must state its essential findings on the record. Fed.R.Crim.P. 12(d). The Rule, however, does not specify the manner in which the findings on the record must be made. Here, the district court produced both a written order granting Kuehne's motion to suppress evidence and stated its reasons orally regarding the scope of that order. Thus, the district court complied with the mandates of Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 12.