Court Opinion

ID: 9659758
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 21:54:12.095545+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:14:11.403267
License: Public Domain

COLER, Justice
(dissenting).
I would affirm the trial court. I agree with Justice Zastrow’s view of the evidence which supports the trial court as set forth in his dissent, and I am convinced that the trial court’s order is also proper considering the import of SDCL 23-13A.
While the issue was not thoroughly briefed in either the trial court or this court, and the proposed opinion declines to pass upon the constitutionality of the federal wiretap statutes but nevertheless declares that the federal act controls further proceedings, I do not believe this court should close its eyes to legislative enactments of South Dakota which state the policy to be adhered to regarding interception of telephone conversations in this state. I find it incredible that the attorney general argues U.S.C. § 2515 to be an unconstitutional exercise of power by the federal government in violation of the tenth amendment. Our legislature has, by enactment of chapter 158 of the Session Laws of 1969, which was entitled,
“AN ACT Entitled, An Act authorizing the interception of wire or oral communications by certain public officials in conformity with Chapter 119 of Part I of title 18, United States Code; defining certain terms; establishing procedures governing application for, and granting of, court orders applicable thereto; and, designating and enumerating specific offenses for which such interceptions may be made.”
clearly made 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510 to 2520 applicable in this state.
Section 2 of ch. 158, SL 1969, set forth as SDCL 23-13A-2, states:
“It is the intent of this chapter to conform the requirements of all interceptions of wire and oral communications conducted by investigative or law enforcement officers ⅛ this state to the provisions of chapter 119 of the United States Code.”
A statement is made in the majority opinion that Mr. Bunt will not be allowed to testify “in any further proceedings.” I believe that Mr. Bunt must testify at a suppression hearing if a further hearing is mandated, to determine if the information gleaned from wiretap was illegal and, if so, was it exploited. Once the wiretap is found to be illegal and information from the wiretap was exploited, then Mr. Bunt will not be allowed to testify as to that evidence. SDCL 23-13A-8, 23-13A-l(5), 18 U.S.C. § 2515. This exclusionary rule incorporated into the federal act and accepted as the law of this state by SDCL 23-13A, grew out of the abuses existing during the passage of the earlier federal act. The purpose of the federal act is: (1) to protect privacy of wire and oral communications, and (2) to delineate on a uniform basis circumstances and conditions under which interception of wire and oral communications may be authorized, United States v. Cafero, 1973, 3 Cir., 473 F.2d 489 (footnote 8, 1968), cert. denied 417 U.S. 918, 94 S.Ct. 2622, 41 L.Ed.2d 223; see also 1968 U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News, at p. 2153; and, perhaps more basic, to limit initiation of wiretap applications to publicly responsible officials, subject to the political process. United States v. Giordano, 1972, 4 Cir., 469 F.2d 522, affirmed 416 U.S. 505, 94 S.Ct. 1820, 40 L.Ed.2d 341. See also 1968 U.S.Code Cong. & Admin.News, p. 2185.
From reading the transcript and in agreeing with Justice Zastrow’s assessment, I would conclude that the information from the wiretap was exploited. Such illegal wiretaps should not be considered less harmful when they were initiated by a “concerned citizen.” Under SDCL 23-13A-1(5) and 23-13A-8 a private individual is subject to the Act’s restrictions. As these restrictions were not complied with, and as the information from the illegal wiretap was exploited, I would affirm the trial court’s suppression order.