Opinion ID: 513263
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: warrantless entry of pidgeon perch apartment

Text: 35 Nelson and Betts seek to suppress all the evidence that was seized during the warrantless entry and securing of the Pidgeon Perch apartment, the telephone calls that DEA agent Holmes received while on the premises, and the items seized pursuant to the search warrant. They contend that the warrantless entry was not justified by exigent circumstances. The district court agreed with the magistrate that Nelson lacked standing to raise the fourth amendment issue. The district court also ruled that Betts had standing, but nevertheless concluded that the [o]fficers were justified in securing the apartment to prevent destruction or removal of evidence by entering it prior to arrival of the search warrant.
36 We consider the issue of standing at the outset. A defendant has the burden of establishing his standing to challenge a search or seizure in violation of the fourth amendment. Rakas v. Illinois, 439 U.S. 128, 130 n. 1, 99 S.Ct. 421, 423-24 n. 1, 58 L.Ed.2d 387 (1978). The defendant must satisfy a two-part test: 1) whether he manifested a subjective expectation of privacy in the object of the challenged search; and 2) whether society is prepared to recognize that expectation as legitimate. California v. Ciraolo, 476 U.S. 207, 211, 106 S.Ct. 1809, 1811, 90 L.Ed.2d 210 (1986). 37 Both the district court and the magistrate correctly concluded that Nelson did not have a subjective expectation of privacy in the Pidgeon Perch apartment. At the suppression hearing, Nelson testified that Betts picked him up at the airport and both men proceeded to the latter's apartment. Because of the noise level there, they drove to the Pidgeon Perch apartment to transact some business. Nelson did not own or rent that apartment; nor did he have a key. Betts provided the means of entry. Although Nelson asserted that he intended to spend the night there and brought a shirt and pants, he left his red bag with the remainder of his clothing at Betts's residence. The magistrate did not find it credible that Nelson intended to stay in the apartment overnight. Moreover, there was no indication that Nelson had a right to exclude others from the apartment, nor was there any evidence that he took precautions to insure his privacy in any area of the apartment. When the police arrived, Nelson was sleeping on a couch in the living room. At best, the record indicates that Nelson was only a casual visitor. A defendant's legitimate presence on the searched premises, without more, is insufficient to establish standing. United States v. Antone, 753 F.2d 1301, 1306 (5th Cir.) (citing Rakas, 439 U.S. at 142-43, 99 S.Ct. at 429-30), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 818, 106 S.Ct. 64, 88 L.Ed.2d 52 (1985). Nelson has not met his burden of establishing his standing to contest the warrantless entry. United States v. Meyer, 656 F.2d 979 (5th Cir.1981). 38 The Government seeks a similar ruling with respect to Betts. It insists that Betts failed to show any expectation of privacy in the apartment or the ability to exclude others. We conclude, however, that Betts has met his burden of establishing a legitimate expectation of privacy in the Pidgeon Perch apartment. 39 Carl R. Glen, the lessee, testified that Betts had a key to the Pidgeon Perch apartment for about a year, and was afforded unrestricted access just as any part of our family. The appellant was allowed to stay overnight [a]s often as he felt, even without the lessee's knowledge or consent. Betts also kept clothes and other items in the apartment. Glen estimated that Betts remained overnight at least eight times within a one-month period. 40 For his part, Betts testified that he had gained access to the Pidgeon Perch apartment with his key numerous times. He did so on April 28, the date of his arrest. Betts expected to exclude others from entering the apartment when he locked the front door from the inside, and he was never restricted from using the residence. 41 The Government did not contradict this evidence in any respect. The record thus reveals that Betts was more than a casual visitor or a mere transient. Rather, he enjoyed a legitimate expectation of privacy in the residence. Betts is entitled to challenge the warrantless entry of the apartment.
42 Betts argues that the district court erred in concluding that there were exigent circumstances justifying the warrantless entry and securing of the apartment. He also seeks to suppress, inter alia, the telephone calls that Special Agent Holmes received while police were securing the apartment. 5 The Government asserts that the warrantless entry was justified because the officers feared that Betts's failure to return would cause the occupants of the apartment to believe the police were on their trail, prompting them to destroy evidence. The Government also contends that Betts did not have a privacy interest in the telephone calls because he was not a party to the conversations; therefore, he cannot challenge their admission at trial. 43  The fourth amendment prohibits governmental intrusions into a private dwelling without a warrant supported by probable cause, subject only to a few carefully delineated exceptions. Thompson v. Louisiana, 469 U.S. 17, 19-20, 105 S.Ct. 409, 410-11, 83 L.Ed.2d 246 (1984). See also Payton v. New York, 445 U.S. 573, 590, 100 S.Ct. 1371, 1382, 63 L.Ed.2d 639 (1980) (In terms that apply equally to seizures of property and to seizures of persons, the Fourth Amendment has drawn a firm line at the entrance to the house. Absent exigent circumstances, that threshold may not reasonably be crossed without a warrant.); Coolidge v. New Hampshire, 403 U.S. 443, 474-75, 91 S.Ct. 2022, 2042-43, 29 L.Ed.2d 564 (1971). In fact, the physical entry of the home is the chief evil against which the wording of the Fourth Amendment is directed. United States v. United States District Court, 407 U.S. 297, 313, 92 S.Ct. 2125, 2134-35, 32 L.Ed.2d 752 (1972). In view of this strong command, the Supreme Court has declared that searches and seizures inside a residence without a warrant are presumptively unreasonable, Payton v. New York, 445 U.S. at 586, 100 S.Ct. at 1380, and the police bear a heavy burden when attempting to demonstrate an urgent need that might justify a warrantless entry. Welsh v. Wisconsin, 466 U.S. 740, 750, 104 S.Ct. 2091, 2097-98, 80 L.Ed.2d 732 (1984). See also United States v. Morgan, 743 F.2d 1158, 1162 (6th Cir.1984) (the burden is on the government to demonstrate exigency) (and cases cited therein), cert. denied, 471 U.S. 1061, 105 S.Ct. 2126, 85 L.Ed.2d 490 (1985). 6 44 The Supreme Court has recognized only a few emergency circumstances excusing the need for a warrant. See, e.g., United States v. Santana, 427 U.S. 38, 42-43, 96 S.Ct. 2406, 2409-10, 49 L.Ed.2d 300 (1976) (hot pursuit of a fleeing felon); Warden v. Hayden, 387 U.S. 294, 298-99, 87 S.Ct. 1642, 1645-46, 18 L.Ed.2d 782 (1967) (same); Schmerber v. California, 384 U.S. 757, 770-71, 86 S.Ct. 1826, 1835-36, 16 L.Ed.2d 908 (1966) (destruction of evidence); Michigan v. Tyler, 436 U.S. 499, 509, 98 S.Ct. 1942, 1949-50, 56 L.Ed.2d 486 (1978) (fire on premises, even if only smoldering). The Court has also made clear that the exigent-circumstances exception in the context of a home entry should rarely be sanctioned when there is probable cause to be believe that only a minor offense ... has been committed. Welsh v. Wisconsin, 466 U.S. at 753, 104 S.Ct. at 2099. 45 This court has long recognized, along with many others, that exigent circumstances will be present when there is an urgent need to prevent evidence from being lost or destroyed. See United States v. Adamo, 742 F.2d 927, 948 (6th Cir.1984), cert. denied sub nom. Freeman v. United States, 469 U.S. 1193, 105 S.Ct. 971, 83 L.Ed.2d 975 (1985). Accord, United States v. Johnson, 802 F.2d 1459, 1462 (D.C.Cir.1986). This need may be particularly compelling where narcotics are involved, for 'narcotics can be easily and quickly destroyed while a search is progressing.'  United States v. Socey, 846 F.2d at 144445 (D.C.Cir.1988) (quoting Johnson, 802 F.2d at 1462). 46 When police officers seek to rely on this exception in justifying a warrantless entry, they must show an objectively reasonable basis for concluding that the loss or destruction of evidence is imminent. Ibid.; United States v. Napue, 834 F.2d 1311, 1326 (7th Cir.1987). 47 The law is settled that a warrantless entry will be sustained when the circumstances then extant were such as to lead a person of reasonable caution to conclude that evidence of a federal crime would probably be found on the premises and also that such evidence would probably be destroyed within the time necessary to obtain a search warrant. 48 United States v. Elkins, 732 F.2d 1280, 1284 (6th Cir.1984). Accord, United States v. Rivera, 825 F.2d 152, 156 (7th Cir.), cert. denied sub nom. Robles v. United States, --- U.S. ----, 108 S.Ct. 494, 98 L.Ed.2d 492 (1987). This standard does not credit what the particular officers on the scene actually believed, if such beliefs would be unreasonable or unjustified in the situation. Socey, 846 F.2d at 1446. 2 49 Vale v. Louisiana, 399 U.S. 30, 90 S.Ct. 1969, 26 L.Ed.2d 409 (1970), provides considerable guidance in resolving the issue at bar. There, the Supreme Court ruled that an arrest outside the arrestee's home does not automatically justify a warrantless entry into the home on the assumption that evidence is likely to be destroyed. Id. at 35, 90 S.Ct. at 1972. Before exigent circumstances are present, the Court said, the police must have a reasonable basis for believing there is someone in the house who would likely destroy evidence. Id. at 34-35, 90 S.Ct. at 1971-72. 50 We believe, consistent with Vale, that a police officer can show an objectively reasonable belief that contraband is being, or will be, destroyed within a residence if he can demonstrate: 1) a reasonable belief that third parties are inside the dwelling; and 2) a reasonable belief that these third parties may soon become aware the police are on their trail, so that the destruction of evidence would be in order. See Socey, 846 F.2d at 1445 n. 6; United States v. Aquino, 836 F.2d 1268, 1273 (10th Cir.1988) (The required release of these persons [suspected confederates] created the possibility that news of the arrests would reach others in the drug connection, thereby prompting the destruction of evidence); United States v. Wulferdinger, 782 F.2d 1473, 1476 (9th Cir.1986) (exigent circumstances justified warrantless entry where confederate's failure to return to premises, due to arrest, might cause those inside to dispose of evidence); United States v. Moore, 790 F.2d 13 (1st Cir.1986) (same). 3 51 We review the district court's legal conclusions under a de novo standard, United States v. Andersson, 813 F.2d 1450, 1455 (9th Cir.1987), but review its factual findings under the clearly erroneous standard. United States v. Morgan, 743 F.2d 1158,1162 (6th Cir.1984), cert. denied, 471 U.S. 1061, 105 S.Ct. 2126, 85 L.Ed.2d 490 (1985). In judging the government's claim of exigent circumstances, the court must consider the totality of the circumstances, as well as the inherent necessities of the situation at the time. United States v. Rubin, 474 F.2d 262, 268 (3d Cir.), cert. denied sub nom. Agran v. United States, 414 U.S. 833, 94 S.Ct. 173, 38 L.Ed.2d 68 (1973). 52 After carefully considering the record, we conclude that there were exigent circumstances justifying the warrantless entry into the Pidgeon Perch apartment. Specifically, we find that the officers on the scene at Betts's arrest had an objectively reasonable basis for concluding that the loss or destruction of evidence was imminent. 53 On the evening of April 28, police were told by Hamilton, their undercover informant, that Betts had cocaine in the Pidgeon Perch apartment and was ready to negotiate a deal with Sergeant Swain, who was posing as the money man. At the suppression hearing, Swain testified that Hamilton had advised him by phone that he had observed two kilograms of cocaine wrapped in a diaper-like material. Hamilton also told police officers that an individual named Ben Nelson was inside the apartment as well. As Courtney recalled, What I knew at that time was that earlier in the evening the informant had been there, he had met with Mr. Betts and Mr. Nelson, that he had seen two of an alleged three kilograms of cocaine, that then more were supposed to be available for purchase, that Mr. Betts had left with the informant at a later time and Mr. Betts was in custody. Sergeant Swain testified that he was similarly informed of Nelson's presence in the apartment. 54 When Hamilton returned from speaking with Swain, he and Betts drove to a nearby public telephone, where Betts was arrested. Police officers at that time reasonably believed that Nelson was still in the Pidgeon Perch apartment; the same Ben Nelson that Special Agent Holmes had detained that very morning at the airport concerning drug trafficking. With this information in hand, police could reasonably believe that Betts's continued absence, while a search warrant was being secured, would alert Nelson that the police were on their trail, thereby prompting him to destroy narcotics. 55 This is not a case where the police had ample time and opportunity to secure a search warrant, but decided to forego that option in the hope that exigent circumstances would arise. Socey, 846 F.2d at 1447. Sergeant Swain sought a warrant shortly after police had learned from Hamilton that Betts had in his possession several kilograms of cocaine to sell to the money man. It is unlikely that the police had probable cause to secure a search warrant for the apartment any time earlier. We also emphasize that the warrantless entry was limited in scope and proportionate to the exigency excusing the warrant requirement. Id. at 1448. The police did no more than secure the premises to ensure their safety and to prevent the loss or destruction of evidence. See United States v. Elkins, 732 F.2d 1280, 1285 (6th Cir.1984). 56 Betts argues that the police lacked evidence that Nelson knew of Betts's arrest or the police surveillance. However, this impermissibly shifts the inquiry from what the experienced officers reasonably believed, to what the suspect[ ] actually knew of the events outside the [apartment] and [his] reaction thereto. Socey, 846 F.2d at 1446. This is clearly improper. Ibid. 57 Betts also contends that police should have established surveillance outside the apartment until the search warrant arrived. Given, however, the police officers' reasonable fears, this would have risked the loss of evidence. As such, there was no need to pursue this course. United States v. Allison, 639 F.2d 792, 794 (D.C.Cir.1980). 58 Since the police had an objectively reasonable belief that the destruction of narcotics was imminent, they were justified in entering the Pidgeon Perch apartment without a warrant for the limited purpose of securing the premises and preventing the loss or destruction of evidence. 4 59 We also rule that Betts may not suppress the telephone conversations that occurred while the police were securing the apartment. United States v. Passarella, 788 F.2d 377 (6th Cir.1986), is controlling. In that case, police officers lawfully gained admission to Passarella's home and ascertained from those in the house that the suspect was expected to return shortly. While police were waiting, several calls came in. Special Agent Moulton answered the telephone and permitted the caller to assume that he was Passarella. During the course of these calls, the caller, believing that Moulton was Passarella, talked about an opportunity for a major sale of dilaudids. Id. at 378. This incriminating evidence was eventually used against Passarella at his trial. 60 On appeal, Passarella challenged the admission of the conversations. He argued that Moulton violated his right of privacy under Title III of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, 18 U.S.C. Secs. 2510-2520, and the fourth amendment to the Constitution. Both contentions were rejected. With respect to Title III, the court ruled that the Act was made expressly inapplicable to consensual interceptions, such as those in the instant case. Passarella, 788 F.2d at 379 (citing 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2511(2)(c)). On the fourth amendment issue, the court concluded that where the police are lawfully on the premises and answer the telephone, no expectation of privacy arises as to the conversations in which the defendant did not participate. Ibid. 61 Betts raises the same arguments in the case at bar. As in Passarella, they are without merit. Since the police were lawfully on the premises when Special Agent Holmes answered the telephone, Betts did not have an expectation of privacy in conversations in which he did not participate. Accordingly, the district court did not err in refusing to suppress these conversations. 62 Betts argues that Passarella is distinguishable because, unlike the instant case, Special Agent Moulton did not affirmatively misrepresent his identity. He points out that Holmes misrepresented himself as Ben, while affecting a black street slang dialect. To be sure, Special Agent Moulton in Passarella did not make any affirmative misrepresentations, but merely permitted the caller to assume that he was Passarella. Id. at 380. However, we also recognized that a certain degree of deception or subterfuge on the part of law enforcement authorities is a necessary incident to the investigation of unlawful activities, which are, by their nature, covert and secretive. Ibid. (and cases cited therein). We concluded that the fourth amendment did not protect a wrongdoer's misplaced trust; nor did it require the police to offer their true identity whenever they answer[ed] the telephone. Ibid. Similarly, we rule that Holmes's false identification does not require suppression of the calls as non-consensual, any more than any undercover agent's false identity requires suppression in similar circumstances.
63 Betts's remaining two contentions require little discussion. He argues that the government failed to comply with Rule 41(a), Fed.R.Crim.P., which provides that a search warrant may be issued upon request of a federal law enforcement officer or an attorney for the government. Betts insists that the record lacks any evidence that the request for the search warrant was made by a federal law enforcement officer or a government attorney. We disagree. 64 Although Sergeant Swain, a state officer, signed the affidavit in support of the search warrant, the warrant was issued to Laurence Courtney, a federal law enforcement officer. Moreover, the district court found that an Assistant United States Attorney accompanied Swain to the magistrate to obtain the warrant. This adequately satisfies the requirements of Rule 41(a). See United States v. Carra, 604 F.2d 1271, 1273 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 444 U.S. 994, 100 S.Ct. 529, 62 L.Ed.2d 425 (1979). 65 Lastly, Betts contends that Swain's affidavit in support of the warrant contained false statements made knowingly or intentionally, or with reckless disregard for the truth. In Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154, 98 S.Ct. 2674, 57 L.Ed.2d 667 (1978), the Supreme Court ruled that a search warrant must be voided and the fruits of the search excluded if a defendant shows by a preponderance of the evidence that a warrant affidavit includes a false statement made knowingly and intentionally or with reckless disregard for the truth and if, with the affidavit's false material excluded, the affidavit is insufficient to establish probable cause. Id. at 155-56, 98 S.Ct. at 2676-77. The district court concluded that Betts failed to meet this standard, and we see no reason to disturb that ruling. Even assuming the presence of inaccurate information in the affidavit, the remaining portions are sufficient to base a finding of probable cause. 66