Court Opinion

ID: 9741710
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 21:00:57.337271+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:25.613414
License: Public Domain

DUNN, Justice
(dissenting).
I dissent from the majority opinion. I would hold that the affidavit did establish the requisite probable cause for the issuance of a search warrant.
In reviewing the affidavit, we should not invalidate the search warrant by interpreting the affidavit in a hypertechnical manner. State v. Kaseman, 1978, S.D., 273 N.W.2d 716 (opinion filed December 22, 1978). The affidavit states that information was received that a specifically described automobile which was to be found at a specific location in Vermillion had been used to bring a load of about 40 pounds of marijuana to Vermillion from Rapid City and was owned by David Nollsch. The affidavit further stated that the informant had personally seen some pound bags in the automobile. The description and location of the automobile was verified by Vermillion police officers. The Rapid City origin of the automobile was verified by the Pennington County license plates on the automobile. The name of the registered owner, David Nollsch, was verified by a license check. The information that marijuana had been brought to Vermillion from Rapid City was corroborated by a telephone call to the Rapid City police department which revealed that Nollsch had a community reputation as being heavily involved in the drug traffic in the Rapid City area.
A realistic and common sense interpretation of the affidavit can only result in a finding of probable cause for the issuance of a search warrant. There need not be a showing of probative evidence rising to the nature of that admissible in a trial for conviction of a criminal defendant but, rather, a showing of probability of criminal activity. Such a probability was shown on the affidavit before the magistrate.
The trial court admitted that the affidavit produced a “close question” on the probable cause for the search of the Nollsch automobile and that its decision to suppress the evidence obtained from the search borders on hypertechnical interpretation of the affidavit. Resolution of marginal cases should be largely determined by the preference accorded to warrants, and every reasonable inference possible should be drawn to support the determination of probable cause by the magistrate. State v. Kaseman, supra.
I would reverse the order of the trial court suppressing the evidence obtained in *737the search of the Nollsch automobile and remand the case to the trial court for a trial on the merits.
I am authorized to state that Chief Justice WOLLMAN joins in this dissent.