Court Opinion

ID: 9751592
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 16:38:31.93603+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:26:52.560470
License: Public Domain

NEBEKER, Associate Judge
(concurring in the result) :
Because I do not view this case as presenting any constitutional issue respecting the confrontation in the apartment house, I express this special concurrence. Constitutional restrictions such as unlawful confrontations between victims of crime and suspects operate against officers of the state and not private citizens acting in dependency of the state. Cf. Adickes v. S. H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970); Public Utilities Commission v. Pollak, 343 U.S. 451, 72 S.Ct. 813, 96 L.Ed. 1068 (1952); United States v. Cruikshank, 92 U.S. 542, 23 L.Ed. 588 (1876); Drew v. United States, D.C.App., 292 A.2d 164 (1972); Lucom v. Atlantic National Bank of West Palm Beach, Fla., 354 F.2d 51 (5th Cir. 1965). Since the victim had been told to remain in the cruiser, but had on his own decided to seek the safety of the presence of the officers and thereby fortuitously observed the appellant, it cannot be said that a due-process issue is even presented on this record. Accordingly, it should be understandable that appellant did not raise the confrontation issue.
I do not view as make-weight the observation of my colleagues that “the confrontation was accidental, not purposeful”. That is the key to this case. It makes the factors expressed in Neil v. Biggers, 409 U.S. 188, 199, 93 S.Ct. 375, 34 L.Ed.2d 401 (1972), inapplicable.