Court Opinion

ID: 9548883
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 18:10:06.203308+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:19:33.656035
License: Public Domain

Wright, J.
(dissenting) — I dissent. The recitation of the facts by the majority is accurate and I adopt such facts.
I would reverse the Court of Appeals for two reasons, either of which would adequately justify such a reversal and the reinstatement of the judgment of the trial court. The reasons are (1) a television set is video equipment, and as such is within the consent given to search the apartment, (2) the act of slightly tipping a television set sitting on a chair and copying the serial number therefrom. is not a *537constitutionally impermissible act under the facts and circumstances here present.
Consent was given to search for video and office equipment. The definition of “video” as found in Webster’s Third New International Dictionary (1968), whether as an adjective or as a noun is equivalent to “television,” and reads as follows: “relating to or used in the transmission or reception of the television image.” A consent to search for video equipment would include the consent to search for television sets. A search can be by consent. State v. Greco, 52 Wn.2d 265, 324 P.2d 1086 (1958); Schneckloth v. Bustamonte, 412 U.S. 218, 36 L. Ed. 2d 854, 93 S. Ct. 2041 (1973).
The burden of proof is upon the State to establish that consent was freely given without coercion. The trial court found that the consent was voluntary. The Court of Appeals affirmed that finding. State v. Murray, 8 Wn. App. 944, 509 P.2d 1003 (1973).
In a number of recent cases it has been held the observing and checking of serial numbers even if in places which are difficult to observe is not a search. One of the cases most similar to the present case is United States v. Gunn, 428 F.2d 1057 (5th Cir. 1970), in which it was held the copying of serial numbers of tires was not a search. In that case the officer had to crawl under the vehicle to read the numbers. Therein the court said in part at page 1060:
We dispose quickly of Gunn’s search-and-seizure argument regarding the serial numbers of the tires. The inspection of tires on a motor vehicle, performed by police officers entitled to be on the property where the vehicle was located, which in no way damaged the tires or the vehicle and was limited to determining the serial numbers of the tires was not a search within the Fourth Amendment. Alternatively, if the inspection is deemed to have constituted a Fourth Amendment “search,” a search warrant was not necessary because the inspection was reasonable and did not violate Gunn’s right to be secure in her person, house, papers, or effects. United States v. Johnson, 5 Cir., 1969, 413 F.2d 1396, 1399-1400, pending decision en banc; United States v. Graham, 6 Cir., 1968, *538391 F.2d 439; Cotton v. United States, 9 Cir., 1967, 371 F.2d 385.
In this case the police had reason to believe they had found something which should be investigated. The fairly expensive color television set was sitting upon a chair in the apartment of a person who would not normally be expected to have such an item. The television set was of the general kind and type of equipment known to have been stolen. As one experienced officer testified, in the setting in which he saw the television set, he would normally expect it had been stolen. It was in plain view and thus came within the rule of Coolidge v. New Hampshire, 403 U.S. 443, 29 L. Ed. 2d 564, 91 S. Ct. 2022 (1971). See also State v. Dimmer, 7 Wn. App. 31, 497 P.2d 613 (1972); and State v. Porter, 5 Wn. App. 460, 488 P.2d 773 (1971).
For either of the reasons stated, the Court of Appeals should be reversed and the judgment of the trial court should be reinstated.
Hale, C.J., and Finley and Hamilton, JJ., concur with Wright, J.
Petition for rehearing denied December 18, 1974.