Opinion ID: 1644285
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: disposition of abdouch's suppression motion

Text: Abdouch moved for suppression of all physical evidence obtained during the farmstead search and for the additional suppression of her custodial statements, which she claimed were the result of the illegal search. The district court, referring to Jones v. United States, 362 U.S. 257, 80 S.Ct. 725, 4 L.Ed.2d 697 (1960), correctly found that Abdouch had standing to challenge the search. The court then made other determinations concerning the constitutional validity of the search of Abdouch's residence. The court found that the State's evidence failed to substantiate that the 1979 farmstead lease to Terry and Susan Clark was still effective when the officers searched the premises. The court concluded that Susan Clark, on account of her dissociation with the leasehold, lacked authority to consent to the search. Consequently, the officers' search, inside the house and at the barn, was conducted without valid authority and, therefore, was an unreasonable search which produced the letter and marijuana material at the barn evidence which the court ruled was unconstitutionally obtained and inadmissible. The State has not complained, and does not complain, about such suppression. However, the court found that all items derived through the Clark family's efforts inside the house were produced by nongovernmental persons, who were not acting as instruments or agents of the State. Accordingly, the court ruled that the items discovered by the Clark family, namely, the paper sack of marijuana seeds found by Lee, the smoking paraphernalia, and Abdouch's diary, were constitutionally admissible evidence. Concerning Abdouch's custodial statements, the court found that the statements were made freely, voluntarily, knowingly and intelligently to Officer Jackson, were not the fruit of a poisonous tree, and, therefore, were constitutionally admissible evidence. In the bench trial of Abdouch, the record for the suppression hearing and other evidence were introduced over Abdouch's renewed objection that the physical evidence in question and her custodial statements resulted from a constitutionally invalid search. The court found Abdouch guilty as charged.