Court Opinion

ID: 9591450
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 00:04:29.037411+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:19:34.580522
License: Public Domain

KENNARD, J.,
Concurring.—I concur with most of the analysis in, and with the result reached by, the majority opinion. In my view, however, the *881majority errs in rejecting defendant’s contention that his motion at the first trial to exclude his confessions was part and parcel of a motion brought under Penal Code section 1538.51 to suppress physical evidence seized as a result of the confessions, and in concluding that the motion was instead made pursuant to Evidence Code section 402. (Maj. opn., ante, at pp. 850-852.) By mischaracterizing the nature of defendant’s motion, the majority skirts an important issue regarding the propriety of relitigating a section 1538.5 motion on retrial after a defendant’s conviction has been reversed on appeal because of the trial court’s improper denial of such a motion.
The majority acknowledges that section 1538.5 may be used to suppress physical evidence seized as a result of a violation of a defendant’s Fifth or Sixth Amendment rights. (Green v. Superior Court (1985) 40 Cal.3d 126, 133, fn. 3 [219 Cal.Rptr. 186, 707 P.2d 248]; People v. Pettingill (1978) 21 Cal.3d 231, 235, fn. 1 [145 Cal.Rptr. 861, 578 P.2d 108]; People v. Superior Court (Zolnay) (1975) 15 Cal.3d 729, 735 [125 Cal.Rptr. 798, 542 P.2d 1390].) But, as the majority points out, a motion to exclude a confession on such grounds is not cognizable under section 1538.5. (People v. Superior Court (Zolnay), supra, at p. 734.) The majority then concludes that when a defendant seeks to suppress both a confession and the physical evidence seized as a result of the confession, the motion must be deemed to be comprised of two logically and procedurally distinct components, a section 1538.5 motion to suppress the physical evidence and an Evidence Code section 402 motion to suppress the confessions.
The majority’s analysis is squarely inconsistent with our holding in People v. Superior Court (Zolnay), supra, 15 Cal.3d 729 (hereafter Zolnay). In Zolnay, the defendants’ confessions to the police resulted in the seizure of physical evidence. Asserting that they had not been fully advised of their constitutional rights as required by Miranda v. Arizona (1966) 384 U.S. 436 [16 L.Ed.2d 694, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 10 A.L.R.3d 974], the defendants moved pursuant to section 1538.5 to suppress both their confessions and the evidence seized as a result thereof. In upholding the propriety of this procedure, we observed: “it is the unlawful seizure of tangible evidence, not the admission or confession, which permits a defendant to invoke the procedures authorized by section 1538.5.” (15 Cal.3d at p. 734.) Nonetheless, we determined that once the procedures of section 1538.5 had been invoked to suppress the fruits of the confessions, the ruling on the Miranda issue became part of the section 1538.5 hearing. As we explained: “The physical evidence towards which the amended motion was directed was undeniably within the proper scope of section 1538.5. Since admissibility of the evidence depended upon whether or not a Miranda violation had occurred, a *882ruling on the Miranda issue necessarily became part of the section 1538.5 hearing. . . . Our review of the admissibility of the physical evidence, which we undertake in accord with the provisions of section 1538.5, necessarily requires that we make a determination as to whether or not the trial court was correct in holding that a Miranda violation has occurred. Our ruling on that issue then becomes the law of the case and must be adhered to by the lower courts in future proceedings in this action. (See People v. Shuey (1975) 13 Cal.3d 835, 841-842 [120 Cal.Rptr. 83, 533 P.2d 211].)” (Zolnay, supra, 15 Cal.3d at p. 735, italics added.)
Here, as in Zolnay, supra, 15 Cal.3d 729, defendant’s suppression motion at the first trial was properly brought under section 1538.5 because it sought to suppress physical evidence seized as a result of defendant’s confessions. And, as in Zolnay, the trial court’s ruling as to whether defendant’s statements had been legally obtained became part of the section 1538.5 hearing.2 Accordingly, I cannot agree with the majority that defendant’s motion at the first trial to suppress both the confessions themselves and the physical evidence seized as a result thereof was not in its entirety a motion pursuant to section 1538.5.
On defendant’s appeal following his first trial, we reversed the judgment of conviction based on our conclusion that defendant’s confessions had been illegally obtained. (People v. Mattson (1984) 37 Cal.3d 85 [207 Cal.Rptr. 278, 688 P.2d 887].)3 On remand, the prosecutor attempted to relitigate the admissibility of the confessions based on new evidence. Because the ruling on this same issue at the first trial was made in the context of a section 1538.5 motion, the following question, which the majority found unnecessary to consider, must be addressed; When a conviction is reversed on appeal because the trial court erroneously denied a motion pursuant to section 1538.5, may the prosecution relitigate that motion on retrial, based on the presentation of new evidence?
*883The majority points out (ante, at p. 850) that ambiguous language in certain decisions by this court (e.g., People v. Brooks (1980) 26 Cal.3d 471, 483 [162 Cal.Rptr. 177, 605 P.2d 1306]) might be read to suggest that relitigation of a section 1538.5 motion is statutorily barred, but the majority makes no attempt to resolve the ambiguity. I would address this issue and conclude, for the reasons set forth below, that a section 1538.5 motion may be relitigated on the basis of new evidence following appeal and reversal of a judgment of conviction.
Prior to the enactment of section 1538.5, the law was clear: Following a reversal of a trial court’s denial of a motion to suppress illegally seized evidence, the prosecution could introduce new evidence to relitigate the issue. (People v. Carswell (1959) 51 Cal.2d 602, 608 [335 P.2d 99].) Section 1538.5 is devoid of language indicating a legislative intent to change the rule we articulated in Carswell. Nevertheless, defendant maintains that relitigation is barred. In support, he cites Lorenzana v. Superior Court (1973) 9 Cal.3d 626 [108 Cal.Rptr. 585, 511 P.2d 33]; People v. Shuey (1975) 13 Cal.3d 835, 841-842 [120 Cal. Rptr. 83, 533 P.2d 211]; and People v. Brooks, supra, 26 Cal. 3d 471. None of these cases, however, compels the result urged by defendant.
In Lorenzana v. Superior Court, supra, 9 Cal.3d 626, after the trial court’s denial of his motion to suppress evidence under section 1538.5, the defendant sought relief by means of a pretrial petition for writ of mandate. In response, the prosecution argued that, instead of issuing the writ sought by the defendant, the reviewing court should remand the matter to the superior court to provide the prosecution with an opportunity to argue that the fruits of the search would inevitably have been discovered despite the illegality. In refusing to do so, we explained: “To allow a reopening of the question on the basis of new legal theories to support or contest the admissibility of the evidence would defeat the purpose of Penal Code section 1538.5 and discourage parties from presenting all arguments relative to the question when the issue of admissibility is initially raised.” (9 Cal.3d at p. 640.)
In People v. Brooks, supra, 26 Cal.3d 471, the defendant moved under section 1538.5 both “to traverse the search warrant” because its supporting affidavit contained misstatements and did not establish probable cause, and “to declare entry invalid” for failure to comply with the knock-and-notice requirements of section 1531. The trial court bifurcated the proceedings and heard evidence only on the first issue. It then granted the motion, resulting in dismissal of the case. The People appealed, and the Court of Appeal reversed. On retrial, the defendant filed a new motion to suppress; this time he presented evidence that the police had failed to comply with section 1531. The trial court granted the motion and dismissed the case. Again the *884People appealed, arguing that the defense was barred under Lorenzana from presenting new evidence at the second section 1538.5 hearing. We rejected the contention. While reaffirming he principles we had set forth in Lorenzana, supra, 9 Cal.3d 626, we concluded that Lorenzana was factually distinguishable from Brooks. As we explained: “Where . . . the trial court elects to bifurcate the suppression hearing, grants the defendant’s motion on the first ground presented, and is subsequently reversed on appeal, the reviewing court should remand to the trial court for disposition of the alternate grounds for suppression.” (Brooks, supra, 26 Cal.3d at p. 483.)
Neither Brooks nor Lorenzana holds that the prosecution is barred from relitigating a section 1538.5 motion on the basis of new evidence after a defendant’s conviction is reversed on appeal because of the trial court’s erroneous denial of the section 1538.5 motion. Lorenzana, supra, 9 Cal.3d 626), simply establishes that, when presented with a meritorious petition for writ of mandate, an appellate court should issue the writ and direct the trial court to grant the suppression motion, rather than to remand on the theory that the prosecution might be able to present additional evidence to justify the search. Although Brooks more closely resembles the present case because it involved an appeal rather than a pretrial writ it too did not establish a rule barring further litigation; indeed, we specifically determined that the trial court had properly permitted the defense to present new evidence following reversal on appeal. (People v. Brooks, supra, 26 Cal.3d at p. 483.)
Equally misplaced is defendant’s reliance on People v. Shuey, supra, 13 Cal.3d 835 (Shuey II). The procedural history leading to that decision is as follows. After the trial court’s denial of their section 1538.5 motion, the defendants sought a writ of mandate from the Court of Appeal. That court granted the writ and directed the trial court to determine whether the evidence sought to be suppressed was the fruit of the illegality. (Shuey v. Superior Court (1973) 30 Cal.App.3d 535 [106 Cal.Rptr. 452] (Shuey I).) On remand, the People requested permission to argue an additional theory, one that—according to the opinion in Shuey I—they had expressly disavowed at the original hearing. The trial court denied the request and granted the motion to suppress. The People appealed; a different division of the Court of Appeal reversed, holding that the Court of Appeal in Shuey I had mischaracterized the record and that the prosecution had never “expressly disavowed” the new theory. We granted a hearing and held that the Court of Appeal’s determination that Shuey I was erroneous violated the doctrine of law of the case. (Shuey II, supra, 13 Cal.3d at p. 843.)
Nothing in Shuey II suggests there is anything in the language of section 1538.5 to bar relitigation of a suppression motion brought under that statute following reversal by an appellate court. There, we simply applied *885general principles of law of the case, a doctrine “exclusively concerned with issues of law and not fact.” (Shuey II, supra, 13 Cal.3d at p. 842.) We concluded that because of the Court of Appeal’s holding in Shuey I that the prosecution at the first trial had “expressly disavowed” the additional theory of admissibility it presented at the retrial, that court had resolved a question of law, which was therefore binding under the doctrine of law of the case. In this case, however, the prosecution attempted at defendant’s retrial to present new facts relating to conversations between defendant and Detective Dingle on September 26, 1978. As the majority correctly points out (ante, at pp. 852-853), the doctrine of law of the case does not apply to the determination of questions of fact based on new evidence following reversal on appeal.
In sum, here the prosecution’s relitigation of the section 1538.5 motion was appropriate. The statute does not bar such a procedure. And while the doctrine of law of the case precludes a reconsideration of previously resolved questions of law, it does not bar relitigation based on the presentation of facts that are sufficiently significant to bring about a different result. In this case the additional evidence that the prosecution presented at the reopened suppression hearing supports the trial court’s ruling that defendant’s confessions and the physical evidence seized as a result thereof were admissible.

 Unless otherwise stated, all further statutory references are to the Penal Code.

 An examination of the transcript of the suppression hearing at the first trial shows that the motion to suppress the confessions was made a part of the section 1538.5 motion. At the hearing, the court stated: “As part of your moving papers, Mr. Beyersdorf [defense counsel], you have included statements of the defendant. The Court does not normally litigate the admissibility of statements as part of a 1538.5 motion but rather the matter [may] be raised at [an Evidence Code section] 402 motion. However, with the agreement of counsel I am willing to hear that part of the motion.” The prosecutor responded: “Yes, Your Honor. People will stipulate. Since that part of the motion is completely encompassed in the motion we are going to hear now [i.e., the section 1538.5 motion], it would just be a duplication at a later time.” (Italics added.) After a brief discussion, the court concluded: “By the agreement of counsel the Court will permit you to litigate the admissibility of statements as a part of the 1538.5 motion. ” (Italics added.)

 Our opinion in the earlier appeal in this case did not indicate whether the trial court’s ruling on the admissibility of defendant’s confessions was made in the context of a section 1538.5 motion or a motion under Evidence Code section 402. (See People v. Mattson, supra, 37 Cal.3d 85, 89-92.)