Court Opinion

ID: 9669520
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 02:58:07.162734+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:57.604471
License: Public Domain

VANDE WALLE, Justice,
concurring specially.
I believe the glue that holds together the affidavit offered in support of the application for the search warrant and lends the necessary credibility and reliance to the information given by the informant is found in Paragraphs IV and V of the affidavit. Paragraph IV states the caller told Officer Becker that Birk had a cousin by the name of Tony who was recently arrested for shoplifting at Target, described Tony and stated that while he was present at Birk’s residence Birk mentioned the name of Dennis. In Paragraph V Officer Becker stated he had verified that a cousin of Timothy Birk named John A. (Anthony) Morse was arrested on November 20, 1990, the day prior to the call from the informant, for shoplifting at Target.
Officer Becker further stated in the affidavit that he is aware through police intelligence that a primary associate and frequent visitor to the Birk’s residence is Dennis Beglau, “a known and convicted drug trafficker and user.” The proximity between the call, the information relative to the cousin, its verification, the information concerning the marijuana, and the identification of “Dennis” give credibility and reliability to the other information given by the informant. Were it not for this information and verification, I would agree with the dissents.
But, I do not agree with Justice Levine that this is easily obtainable information as is the ownership of a motorcycle, place of employment, etc. The information indicates a knowledge of Birk which would not be held by a casual observer or acquaintance but only by a person who has intimate knowledge of the defendant. The dissent indicates that the knowledge is “innocent” information. I do not understand that the information which lends reliability and credibility to the information of illegal activity must, itself, be information of illegal activity. Rather, it is my understanding that the information, although it may be information of “innocent” activity must be of a nature to indicate that the information of illegal activity is reliable. Cf State v. Ringquist, 433 N.W.2d 207 (N.D.1988) [Although some information may have an innocent explanation, probable cause is the sum total of layers of information.] Any information can be “made up” and it is the responsibility of the police officers to verify it. In this case, the police did verify the information which I believe is sufficiently significant to prove the credibility and reliability of the informant as to the illegal activity. I agree they could have done more, but that is not the test.
JOHNSON, J., concurs.