Opinion ID: 1284136
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: analysis of affidavits under the alaska constitution

Text: After carefully reviewing the majority's reasoning in Gates, we conclude that the Gates totality of the circumstances approach does not provide the constitutional protection against unreasonable searches and seizures required by Article 1, Section 14 and Article 1, Section 22 of the Alaska Constitution. [7] In previous cases, we have stated that the state constitutional guarantee against unreasonable searches and seizures is broader in scope than Fourth Amendment guarantees under the United States Constitution. In part, this broader protection results from the more extensive right of privacy guaranteed by Article I, Section 22 of our state constitution. Reeves v. State, 599 P.2d at 734. Therefore, we must test the validity of the affidavit in this case under Alaska's constitutional guarantees. When a search warrant is based on the hearsay statement of a confidential informant, the affiant must establish the informant's basis of knowledge and veracity. To establish the informant's basis of knowledge, the information must be based on the informant's personal observations, not his suspicions or beliefs. Davis v. State, 499 P.2d at 1029. If the affidavit lacks an affirmative allegation of the informant's personal knowledge, the facts supplied must be so detailed as to support an inference of personal knowledge. Id.; see Keller v. State, 543 P.2d at 1217. Additionally, the affiant must inform the magistrate or judge of some of the underlying circumstances that led the affiant to conclude that the informant was credible or that his information was reliable. Davis at 1029. An informant's veracity may be established by demonstrating his past reliability, or by independent police corroboration of detailed facts in the informant's story. Schmid v. State, 615 P.2d at 575, 577. See also Keller v. State, 543 P.2d 1211; Draper v. United States, 358 U.S. 307, 79 S.Ct. 329, 3 L.Ed.2d 327 (1959). The personal identity and involvement of the informant may also establish his veracity. Davis, 499 P.2d at 1029. [8] When information is provided by a citizen informer rather than an informant from the criminal milieu, there is less need to establish a citizen informer's credibility. [9] It is sufficient that police verify some of the details of the information provided by a citizen informer. Erickson v. State, 507 P.2d 508, 517-18 (Alaska 1973). Finally, an informant's admission against his penal interest may be sufficient to establish his veracity in certain circumstances. Fleener v. State, 686 P.2d 730, 732-33 (Alaska App. 1984); State v. Malkin, 678 P.2d 1356, 1359-60 and n. 4 (Alaska App. 1984), petition for hearing granted (Alaska, May 7, 1984); Hubert v. State, 638 P.2d 677, 686 (Alaska App. 1981); cf. Clark v. State, 704 P.2d 799, 804, 805 (Alaska App. 1985). [10] We now proceed to test the affidavit in this case to assess whether it properly established the confidential informant's basis of knowledge and veracity. To satisfy the first prong, the affidavit states that the informant B.V. had personal knowledge of Jones' drug dealing through his own purchases. We conclude that the basis of knowledge prong was adequately demonstrated. Morris v. State, 473 P.2d 603, 605 (Alaska 1970). However, the affidavit does not satisfy the second prong of the test because it does not properly establish the informant's veracity. The affiant does not contend that B.V. provided reliable information in the past. Nor does the affidavit state that the police conducted an independent investigation to corroborate the accuracy of B.V.'s contention that Jones was a cocaine dealer. A mere confirmation that Jones actually lived in the apartment indicated by B.V. does not qualify as independent corroboration by the police. See Clark v. State, 704 P.2d at 804. B.V.'s tip, standing alone, could not establish probable cause. However, the police could have used the tip to further their investigation into Jones' activities. [11] On the issue of statements against penal interest, the court of appeals did not regard B.V.'s statements as inherently credible. First, the court noted that it is not a crime to be present when someone else is purchasing cocaine. Second, vague admissions about past purchases of cocaine would not support a criminal prosecution absent evidence of a specific purchase. The court also stated: More significantly, the affidavit does not explain the circumstances under which B.V.'s statements were made. If B.V. was being prosecuted by juvenile authorities for drug transactions unrelated to Casey Jones, he would hardly view his statement that he had purchased cocaine in the past from Jones as increasing his exposure to criminal sanctions. Jones v. State, 681 P.2d at 365. We require that the police provide full disclosure of all relevant circumstances so that a magistrate can independently assess the significance of an informant's admission against penal interest in the context of each case. [12] See United States v. Harris, 403 U.S. at 598, 91 S.Ct. at 2089, 29 L.Ed.2d at 742 (Harlan, J., dissenting) (Fourth Amendment requires that conclusion of probable cause be drawn from underlying facts and circumstances by the magistrate, not the police); cf. Keller v. State, 543 P.2d at 1216; LaFave, supra note 3, at 525. In this case, the affidavit did not contain sufficient detail to allow an independent assessment by a magistrate. B.V. could be a protected police informant, whose statements are not inherently reliable because he does not need to fear the threat of prosecution. Clark v. State, 704 P.2d at 805. See also LaFave, supra note 3, at 526. B.V. may have recently been arrested for possession of drugs when he admitted to purchases from various sources in the recent past. Such a generalized and unfocused set of allegations might well be nothing more than a series of falsehoods involving the names of several persons he has heard it rumored use or sell narcotics, for he could well anticipate that if the police act upon the information they will likely discover narcotics at some of the identified premises. LaFave, supra note 3, at 529. See e.g., United States v. Harris, 403 U.S. at 595, 91 S.Ct. at 2087, 29 L.Ed.2d at 740 (Harlan, J., dissenting) (rationale for rule of statements against penal interest does not apply in a case in which government informant expects immunity from prosecution in return for his statements); United States v. Martin, 615 F.2d 318, 325-26 (5th Cir.1980); People v. Horton, 74 Ill. App.3d 293, 30 Ill.Dec. 181, 183-84, 392 N.E.2d 946, 948-49 (1979). The affidavit provided the only evidence for the magistrate to determine probable cause in this case. In determining the validity of a search warrant, a reviewing court may consider only information brought to the issuing magistrate's attention. Morris v. State, 473 P.2d at 605. It is imperative under the Alaska Constitution that the magistrate be presented with adequate supporting facts so that he can independently test the confidential informant's basis of knowledge and veracity. [13] Only if these requirements are met can a reviewing court be certain that the magistrate has fulfilled his constitutional duty to render an independent determination that probable cause exists. Keller v. State, 543 P.2d at 1216. In this case, the magistrate did not have sufficient information in the affidavit to make a reasoned decision to issue the search warrant. Consequently, the warrant was improperly issued and the fruits of the search must be suppressed. The decision of the court of appeals reversing the superior court is hereby AFFIRMED on the basis of the Alaska Constitution.