Court Opinion

ID: 9609781
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 03:31:26.409945+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:02:52.291704
License: Public Domain

SCHROEDER, Justice,
specially concurring.
I concur in the determination that the investigatory stop did not violate Benefiel’s constitutional rights and, therefore, the evi*230dence obtained may not be suppressed under the exclusionary rule. I write separately to explain more fully the basis of my concurrence.
The exclusionary rule precludes the use of evidence that was obtained in violation of a defendant’s rights under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution or under art. I, § 17 of the Idaho Constitution. State v. Arregui, 44 Idaho 43, 254 P. 788 (1927). The purpose of the exclusionary rale is to prevent a violation of the constitutional guarantees against unreasonable search and seizure. Id. The doctrine was not created to exclude evidence that was obtained as the result of an officer’s illegal action that did not violate a constitutional guarantee when there are other adequate deterrents to the police misconduct.
In this case the officer’s actions were illegal, but they did not result in a violation of Benefiel’s constitutional rights. The officer’s actions complied with the standards for a constitutionally permissible investigatory stop. What he violated was a statutory limitation upon his authority to act. Refusal to suppress the evidence does not condone conduct by officers that exceed their authority or jurisdiction. Adequate sanctions exist other than the exclusion of evidence to deter such conduct, including potential civil liability and criminal prosecution. The officer’s actions met constitutional standards, though he acted outside his jurisdiction. Consequently, the evidence will not be suppressed under the exclusionary rule.
If the argument be made that the officer is not a police officer when he acts outside his jurisdiction, the same result denying suppression would follow, though the analysis would be different if he were treated as a private person.