Court Opinion

ID: 9551262
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 18:50:21.203319+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:23:24.778312
License: Public Domain

FITZGERALD, Justice
(dissenting).
I do not agree that the affidavit on which the initial search warrant in this *1057case was issued was sufficient to establish probable cause that appellant had concealed firearms, including a shotgun and a revolver, in an unattached garage 30 feet from appellant’s dwelling house.
The search warrant affidavit was made by Corporal Turner of the Alaska State Police. It stated that the officer had reason to believe that on the premises, described as a “wooden frame residence occupied by . Martel” and “an unattached garage located approximately 30 feet west of the main structure” with a “keep out” sign on the door, two or more weapons, one a revolver and the other a shotgun, would be found. The weapons were said to have been used by Martel on October 25, 1971 in the commission of several felonies: assault with a dangerous weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, and malicious destruction of property.
The affidavit recited that one R. E. Reichmann had stated that on October 25th, he discovered his car had been damaged by a shotgun while it was parked in front of the residence of one Daniel Knutsen. Reichmann was said to have further stated that he recently had a serious argument with Martel over money, and that on the evening of October 25th had observed Martel pointing a gun at Knutsen while in front of Martel’s residence. The affidavit included a further statement from Daniel Knutsen that Martel had pointed and fired a revolver at Knutsen while the latter was inside Reichmanri’s car. Finally, the affidavit stated that investigation by the police revealed that the damage to Reichmann’s vehicle was probably caused by several shotgun blasts, that a bullet hole was found in the seat of the vehicle, and that a spent projectible was recovered therefrom.
The fourth amendment to the United States Constitution protects against unreasonable searches, not only of “houses” or dwelling places, but also of outbuildings or other structures located within the curti-lage of a dwelling house. Care v. United States.1 And while a single search warrant may authorize a search of more than one building, the warrant must specifically describe2 each place to be searched and must adequately establish probable cause3 *1058for the search of each structure. United States v. Hinton.4
Here the affidavit offered no direct evidence to indicate that the firearms would be found in either Martel’s residence or the garage. Thus, it must be examined in order to determine what inferences may be reasonably drawn from the known facts and circumstances to establish probable cause that the weapons might be found in the unattached garage. In my view it seems reasonable to assume that a person will tend to keep a revolver close at hand in one’s residence, since firearms are relatively expensive articles. Further, Martel was observed to be standing in front of his residence with a gun. One reasonable inference to be drawn from the foregoing assumption and fact is that Martel probably entered his house, carrying the weapon into the dwelling with him. Thus, there was probable cause to believe that the weapon or weapons might have been found in Martel’s residence.
The affidavit, however, gives rise to no reasonable inference that the weapons were hidden or concealed in the unattached garage. There is simply nothing in the affidavit which in any way connects the weapons with the garage. Yet the majority concludes that because Martel was observed to be standing in front of his residence with a gun, a search may be made of the unattached garage. In my opinion the majority’s conclusion is too broad. For under the court’s analysis, there can be no logical reason to restrict the search from any other outbuilding or area of Martel’s premises; any property in which Martel possesses a proprietary interest may be searched. I decline to join in the court’s broad holding.
For the reasons discussed I conclude that Corporal Turner’s affidavit failed to establish adequate probable cause for the search of the garage. That being so, the initial search of Martel’s garage was unconstitutional. Since the second search resulted from the observation of the air compressor made during the first search, the second search was also invalid and the evidence obtained therefrom was inadmissible as “fruits of the poisonous tree.”5 Without the compressor, there is insufficient evidence to support the conviction for the crime of concealing stolen property. Hence, I would reverse the conviction.

. 231 F.2d 22 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 351 U.S. 932, 76 S.Ct. 788, 100 L.Ed. 1461 (1956) : see also Walker v. United States, 225 F.2d 447 (5th Cir. 1955).

. The description of the premises in the initial search warrant authorizing the search of Martel’s residence and garage was adequate and poses no difficulty in the instant case.

. While probable cause does not require proof beyond a reasonable doubt, there must be something more than a bare suspicion. As the United States Supreme Court stated in Brinegar v. United States, 338 U.S. 160, 69 S.Ct. 1302, 93 L.Ed. 1879 (1949) :
In dealing with probable cause, however, as the very name implies, we deal with probabilities. These are not technical; they are the factual and practical considerations of everyday life on which reasonable and prudent men, not legal technicians, act. The standard of proof is accordingly correlative to what must be proved.
‘The substance of all the definitions’ of probable cause ‘is a reasonable ground for belief of guilt.’ * * ⅜ And this ‘means less than evidence which would justify condemnation’ or conviction as Marshall, Ch. J., said for the Court more than a century ago. ⅜ * 5 Since Marshall’s time, at any rate, it has come to mean more than bare suspicion: Probable cause exists where ‘the facts and circumstances within their [officers’] knowledge, and of which they had reasonably trustworthy information, [are] sufficient in themselves to warrant a man of reasonable caution in the belief that’ an offense has been or is being committed. * * *
These long-prevailing standards seek to safeguard citizens from rash and unreasonable interferences with privacy and from unfounded charges of crime. They also seek to give fair leeway for enforcing the law in the community’s protection. Id. at 175-176, 60 S.Ct. at 1310-1311, 93 L.Ed. at 1890 (Footnotes and citations omitted).

. 219 F.2d 324 (7th Cir. 1955).

. Wong Sun v. United States, 371 U.S. 471, 83 S.Ct. 407, 9 L.Ed.2d 441 (1963).