Opinion ID: 398053
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Background of Evidentiary Claim

Text: 6 This court's prior decision in Miller considered the admissibility of evidence obtained pursuant to a search of appellants' car on the night of November 18, 1977. Appellants were stopped by officers Greer and Maxwell of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) at a routine license and vehicle registration checkpoint adjacent to a border patrol checkpoint outside of Marfa, Texas. The diary, which was discovered during the search, narrated appellants' elaborate fraud insurance scheme. Since the details of both the search and the fraudulent conduct are set out fully in our previous decision, see Miller, supra, 608 F.2d at 1093-95, 1104-05, we will limit our attention here to what was deemed admissible in that case. It is the holding of our prior decision, after all, which defines the poisonous tree that is the basis of these appeals. 7 Finding it reasonable for officer Maxwell to move the Millers' car off the road, this court held the pistol admissible since it was in plain view of the officer. Id. at 1099. The rifle found in the back seat was also admissible because Clifford volunteered its location and gave permission for the officers to run an NCIC check on it. Because the diary was held inadmissible, none of those involved in its seizure were allowed to testify as to Miller's true identity under the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine, though they could testify about the arrest and identify him in court as the person arrested. Id. at 1101. The government was allowed to prove Clifford's identity by any evidence unconnected with the search of the portfolio and the examination of the diary. 8 Most importantly, this court held Clifford's confession to Inspector Clemmons, eight days after the discovery of the diary, admissible under Brown v. Illinois, 422 U.S. 590, 599, 95 S.Ct. 2254, 2259, 45 L.Ed.2d 416 (1975): The record establishes that Miller's statement to Clemmons was an intervening act of free will which purged any taint accruing from the original seizure and perusal of the diary. Miller, supra, 608 F.2d at 1103. Thus, investigating officers had access to a statement that contained, in substance, the same incriminating information discovered by Maxwell in the diary. See id. at 1104-05 Appendix, for text of Clifford's statement. This court rejected appellants' argument that Clifford only confessed because the diary had been found-cases of this type are not to be decided on a per se 'but for' rationale. Id. 9