Court Opinion

ID: 6553055
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-07-19 22:30:42.231665+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:55:59.471556
License: Public Domain

Wendell L. Griffen, Judge, dissenting. I would reverse and remand appellant’s conviction following his conditional plea of guilty to the charge of possession of drug paraphernalia and his sentence (two years of supervised probation and $500 fine). Contrary to the majority, I consider reversal mandated because Arkansas Rule of Criminal Procedure 13.2 (c) details that a search warrant may only be executed at night as follows: Upon a finding by the issuing judicial officer of reasonable cause to believe that: (i) the place to be searched is difficult of speedy access; or (ii) the objects to be seized are in danger of imminent removal; or (iii) the warrant can only be safely or successfully executed at nighttime or under circumstances the occurrence of which is difficult to predict with accuracy .... The established law in Arkansas is that a search warrant shall be executed between the hours of 6 o’clock a.m. and 8 o’clock p.m., and the three exceptions to this restriction are stated in the aforementioned rule. Ark. R. Crim. P. 13.2(c). A factual basis must be stated in the affidavit, or in sworn testimony, before a nighttime search warrant may be validly issued. Coleman v. State, 308 Ark. 631, 826 S.W.2d 273 (1992). Where there is no factual basis in the affidavit to support a nighttime search, but the affidavit instead speaks in mere conclusory language, the Arkansas Supreme Court has affirmed a trial judge’s decision to suppress evidence seized pursuant to a nighttime search. State v. Broadway, 269 Ark. 215, 599 S.W.2d 721 (1980). In State v. Martinez, 306 Ark. 353, 356, 811 S.W.2d 319, 321 (1991), our supreme court also affirmed a trial judge’s decision to suppress evidence seized in a nighttime search where a warrant merely recited (i) that arrangements had been made to purchase a controlled substance from the accused; (ii) that it was believed that the accused stored the controlled substance at his residence; (iii) and that the proposed sale was expected to occur at his residence. In doing so, the supreme court mentioned that the affidavit submitted to the issuing magistrate was silent with respect to anything regarding reasonable cause to believe that the controlled substance (marijuana in that case) would be destroyed or removed before the next morning. Id. These decisions dictate reversal and remand of appellant’s conviction and sentence. The affidavit for search warrant submitted to Bentonville Municipal Judge John Skaggs by Detective Dave Mitchell of the 19th Judicial District Drug Task Force simply affirmed the following regarding the reasons for requesting authorization to execute the search warrant at night: Affiant hereby requests that he be allowed to execute this warrant at night, because the location of the residence is such that officers approaching the residence could be easily observed, and there are firearms and a vicious dog located at the residence. Furthermore, any methamphetamine located at the residence could be easily disposed of. This language is as conclusory as that held unacceptable in Martinez, supra. Although the briefs mention that the residence to be searched was situated in a cul-de-sac, Mitchell’s affidavit did not reference that factor as a reason for needing to execute the warrant at nighttime. Mere presence of a dog, vicious or docile, should not determine whether a search warrant can be executed at nighttime. And given that there are many residences throughout Arkansas where firearms can be found — either with or without the presence of dogs and whether located on a cul-de-sac or not — it does not follow that the presence of firearms makes a nighttime search necessary to protect the safety of the searching officers or to ensure that the search will be successful. The better logic is that people are more likely to fetch their guns when confronted in their homes at night by uninvited others than during the daytime, no matter where they live, whether they are law-abiding or law-breakers, or whether they have dogs or not.