Court Opinion

ID: 9766020
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 04:28:47.519627+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:18.499540
License: Public Domain

PRICE, Judge
(dissenting).
I must respectfully dissent. The information given by the informant was adequate, Under these circumstances, to supply probable cause to support the issuance of the search warrant. I would reverse the order of the lower court and permit the Commonwealth to utilize at trial the evidence obtained during the search.
The appellée was charged with various violations of the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act.1 The police obtained a warrant to search appellee’s residence and confiscated a quantity of narcotics. The appel-lee challenged the sufficiency of the probable cause supporting the issuance of the warrant and the lower court ordered the evidence suppressed.
There is no doubt that the Commonwealth has a right to appeal the suppression order. Commonwealth V. Deren, 233 Pa.Super. 373, 337 A.2d 600 (1975). The only question here for decision is the sufficiency of the probable cause section of the affidavit.
The lower court in its opinion states that the evidence was suppressed because “the affidavit wholly failed to present any facts to establish the credibility of the anonymous informant or the reliability of his information.” Such a finding is not consistent with my analysis Of the affidavit and the case law delineating the requirements for adequate probable cause.
The affidavit states the following:
“I, the affiant, have received information, in person, from a confidential informant who wishes to remain anonymous but whose name, address, phone number, social security number, age, current whereabouts, and *261place of employment I know. Before giving any information the informant was sworn to its authenticity and accuracy and informed that giving false information to the police was an offense punishable by law and this was fully explained to him and he acknowledged that he fully understood this. This informant stated that between the dates of April 6, 1975 and April 10, 1975, he was in the above residence in the presence of Mr. Slater and that he did witness Mr. Slater in the possession of a large amount of marijuana and also a number of marijuana plants which Mr. Slater stated he was going to process and sell. Due to the above information I consider this informant to be reliable. Because of the above information I hereby request that a search warrant be issued for the above residence.”
I believe the information supplied the issuing magistrate complies with the mandates of Aguilar v. Texas, 378 U.S. 108, 84 S.Ct. 1509, 12 L.Ed.2d 723 (1964).
In discussing the standards to be applied when ascertaining probable cause to support a search warrant, the Supreme Court of the United States said:
“In evaluating the showing of probable cause necessary to support a search warrant, against the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition of unreasonable searches and seizures, we would do well to heed the sound admonition of United States v. Ventresca, 380 U.S. 102, 85 S.Ct. 741, 13 L.Ed.2d 684 (1965):
“‘[T]he Fourth Amendment’s commands, like all constitutional requirements, are practical and not abstract. If the teachings of the Court’s cases are to be followed and the constitutional policy served, affidavits for search warrants, such as the one involved here, must be tested and interpreted by magistrates and courts in a commonsense and realistic fashion. They are normally drafted by nonlawyers in the midst and haste of a criminal investigation. Technical requirements of elaborate specificity once exacted under *262common law pleadings have no proper place in this area. A grudging or negative attitude by reviewing courts toward warrants will tend to discourage police officers from submitting their evidence to a judicial officer before acting.’ 380 U.S. at 108, 85 S.Ct. [741], at 746.” United States v. Harris, 403 U.S. 573, 577, 91 S.Ct. 2075, 2079, 29 L.Ed.2d 723 (1971).
In other words, we must not unduly and unrealistically hamper, by over-critical examination of affidavits for search warrants, law enforcement personnel in performing their duty.
The case of Aguilar v. Texas, supra, enunciated the standards for determining the sufficiency of the affidavit. Briefly, the magistrate must be informed of (1) some of the underlying circumstances from which the informant concluded that criminal activity was afoot, and (2) the basis for the affiant’s conclusion that the informant is reliable.
The first requirement may be met where the affidavit either sets forth the manner in which the informant obtained his information or describes the criminal activity in detail. Commonwealth v. Samuels, 235 Pa.Super. 192, 340 A.2d 880 (1975). In the instant case, the informant stated that he was in appellee’s house and personally observed the narcotics. This satisfies the first requirement. Cf. Commonwealth v. Samuels, supra.
The real crux of this case is the second requirement, the establishment of the informant’s reliability. Reliability is most often established through a showing of convictions which resulted from information supplied by the informer. E. g., Commonwealth v. Williams, 236 Pa. Super. 184, 345 A.2d 267 (1975). In addition, reliability may also be established where (1) the informant’s story is corroborated by some other source; (2) the informant’s statements were a declaration against interest; or (3) the defendant’s reputation supports the informant’s *263tip. Commonwealth v. Ambers, 225 Pa.Super. 381, 310 A.2d 347 (1973).
In the case at bar, the informant has never before volunteered information to the police. Further, the other criteria generally used to establish reliability do not, as they are usually applied, immediately lend themselves to corroborating the information given.
However, upon a closer examination, I believe the procedures employed here supply the same safeguards im suring reliability as does a declaration against interest. A declaration against interest is an admission that the informant participated in some manner in a criminal activity. Cf. Jones v. United States, 362 U.S. 257, 80 S.Ct. 725, 4 L.Ed.2d 697 (1960). This admission of guilt, which could lead to criminal prosecution, is assumed to supply corroboration for the information given, and the same rationale can logically and accurately be applied to the instant situation.
The informant was fully instructed as to the possible consequences of giving false information to a police officer and acknowledged that he understood the possible criminal sanctions. He was placed under oath and then related his information. If the information given had proven false, the informant could have at least been prosecuted for violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 4903 2 and 18 Pa.C.S. § 4906.3 Both offenses are misdemeanors of the second degree, punishable by up to two years imprisonment and by a fine not exceeding $5,000. Thus, the informer could have been subjected to imprisonment of four years and a $10,000 fine. Although it is true that the informant would have been liable for the same penalties even if he had not been so cautioned, the fact that he was made aware of the seriousness of his actions before he made his disclosure adds credence to his information. This *264exposure to potential criminal liability is an accurate indicia evidencing reliability.
Any person who gives information to' the authorities must at some point be a first-time informant. If the information cannot easily be corroborated by another source and it is not being offered by one who has been a participant, to one degree or another, in the criminal venture, the police must have some other method to insure that the information is reliable. The officers in the instant case obviously recognized a need to insure reliability and attempted to comply with the mandates of Aguilar v. Texas, supra. To refuse to allow the information here offered, contending it is not against penal interest, could lead to the absurd result of crediting a confessed criminal while discrediting a law abiding citizen attempting to perform his civic duty. Information from private citizens constitutes a valuable tool to be used by police officers both to solve and to prevent crime, and it should not be so readily dismissed.
The procedure followed here is sufficient to adequately insure reliability. Cf. Commonwealth v. McKeever, 229 Pa.Super. 35, 323 A.2d 44 (1974). I would reverse the order of the lower court suppressing the evidence and permit the Commonwealth to use this evidence at trial.
VAN der VOORT, J., joins this dissenting opinion.

. Act of April 14, 1972, P.L. 233, No. 64, § 1 (35 P.S. § 780-101) et seq.

. 18 Pa.C.S. § 4903 concerns false statements made under oath.

. 18 Pa.C.S. § 4906 concerns false reports made to law enforcement authorities.