Court Opinion

ID: 9694741
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 17:53:28.596074+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:05.078856
License: Public Domain

VAN der VOORT, Judge,
dissenting:
The primary issue in this case is the challenge by appellant to the validity of two separate search warrants on the grounds that the appellant was deprived of his opportunity to attack the reliability of an informant.
Pertinent facts are that on January 3rd and 4th, 1977, police officers executed the two warrants for Connors Used Auto Parts in Conshohocken in Montgomery County. As a result of evidence discovered in the searches, the defendant-appellant was arrested and charged with a number of counts of receiving stolen property, possession of an automobile with a defaced serial number and a count of criminal mis*267chief in excess of $5,000.00. The defendant filed a petition to suppress the evidence discovered in the searches. The court below refused to suppress the evidence and this appeal followed.
In his statement of questions involved the question relating to the validity of the search warrants is sub-divided into eight issues. One warranting discussion relates to the claim by defendant that he had no opportunity to attack the reliability of the informant who supplied the information on the first warrant.
At the suppression hearing, the Commonwealth introduced into evidence the search warrants and the accompanying affidavits and rested its case. The defendant produced no evidence, the suppression Judge denied the defendant’s motion and the case proceeded to trial. The defendant was found guilty of ten counts of receiving stolen property.
The defendant claims that the Commonwealth in a suppression hearing challenging the reliability of an informant must do more than introduce into evidence the warrants and affidavits. The majority holds that the Commonwealth must in the first instance produce more evidence than the affidavits supporting the warrants. The majority pronounces this Rule notwithstanding Pa.R.Crim.P. 2003 which says that:

“Rule 2003

(b) At any hearing on a motion for the return or suppression of evidence, or for suppression of the fruits of evidence, obtained pursuant to a search warrant, no evidence shall be admissible to establish probable cause other than the affidavits provided for in paragraph (a).” [The affidavits supporting probable cause.]
The majority also rely upon Pa.R.Crim.P. 323:

“Rule 323

(h) The Commonwealth shall have the burden of going forward with the evidence and of establishing the admissibility of the challenged evidence. The defendant may testify at such hearing, and, if he does so, he does not thereby waive his right to remain silent during trial.”
*268It seems to me these Rules make it quite clear that in a suppression hearing, such as is involved here, the Commonwealth has the burden of going forward with the evidence and of establishing the admissibility of the challenged evidence in so far as it depends on probable cause. The Commonwealth is limited however in establishing probable cause to the affidavits supporting probable cause. Rule 2003 provides expressly that no evidence shall be admissible to establish probable cause other than the affidavits supporting that issue. If the defendant desires to test the credibility of the affiant or the reliability of an informant he may do so. This right was clearly established in the case of Commonwealth v. Hall, 451 Pa. 201, 302 A.2d 342 (1973). Hall ruled that a defendant at a suppression hearing should be “afforded the opportunity through ‘the traditional safeguard’ of cross-examination, to test the truthfulness of the recitals in the warrant alleging the informant’s previous reliability.”
After the Commonwealth has introduced the affidavits and the warrants which, if they are sufficient to do so, establish prima facie their validity [if the affidavits are insufficient the challenged evidence is of course not admissible]. The defendant faced with a prima facie showing as in most legal proceedings is privileged to challenge the validity of the warrants by attacking the prima facie showing. The defendant has the power and privilege of subpoenaing witnesses, calling his own witnesses or testifying himself without waiving his right to remain silent during the trial. The defendant may call the affiant for cross examination in order to test the veracity of the statements in the affidavit supporting probable cause.
The defendant raises eight other issues in his statement of questions involved. These issues related to severance, prejudicial testimony, photographs, demonstrative evidence, summation by the attorney for the Commonwealth, mis-statement of the law by the Court, after discovered evidence and insufficiency of the evidence, all of which are without merit.
*269I dissent from holding of the majority that the Commonwealth in the first instance must produce evidence in addition to the warrants and affidavits notwithstanding the provisions of Pa.Crim.P. Rule 2003 that no such additional evidence shall be admissible to establish probable cause.