Court Opinion

ID: 9513754
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-06 22:40:05.428913+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:06:00.846904
License: Public Domain

VANDE WALLE, Chief Justice,
dissenting.
[¶ 32] The majority opinion has outlined the facts and the applicable law. Because I do not agree the trial court misapplied the law to the facts, I respectfully dissent to Section II B of the majority opinion and the reversal of the judgment of conviction. Under the circumstances of this case I believe exigent circumstances justified the actions of the police officers as an exception to the requirement of a search warrant under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. I would therefore affirm the order denying the suppression of the evidence and the judgment of conviction.
[¶ 33] There is no doubt that Mitzel invited the police into the home. For purposes of this dissent I agree with the majority that once in the home, Mitzel’s subsequent actions were not consent for the officer to accompany Mitzel to the back bedroom. But, the facts of this case are significantly different than those in State v. DeCoteau, 1999 ND 77, 592 N.W.2d 579. First, as has been noted, the police were *129invited into the home. In DeCoteau, the issue was whether or not the police were justified in entering the home. We held they were not. Although an invitation or consent to enter a home does not alone entitle the police to roam at will through the entire house, once inside the home, it seems to me the potential danger to the officers is considerably greater than when the officers were outside or in a common hall. Officer McMerty’s testimony that “For my safety going back in the bedroom where there has been a domestic I don’t know what’s back there. I’ll come with you” indicates as much. While Mitzel’s silence may not have been consent to the officer to accompany him, that consent is not necessary under these facts.
[¶ 34] The other significant fact which distinguishes this from DeCoteau is that in DeCoteau both adults were outside the home when the police arrived. The woman assured the police there was nothing wrong and asked the police to leave. The police saw a broken window, were told by a child standing in the street that he heard the sound of breaking glass. The officer’s justification for entering the home was the officer wanted to see if the children were all right although it is not clear from the opinion there were children in the home.
[¶35] Here, the woman with whom Mitzel was arguing was not outside the home nor visibly present in the home, although Mitzel’s statements to the officer and subsequent actions clearly indicated she was present.
[¶ 36] It is well known that law enforcement officers may be in considerable danger when called to the scene of domestic violence. Here, the officer was invited into the home and told by the defendant he had been arguing with his girlfriend, who was not visible in the home. Out of concern for the woman and his own protection, I believe the officer was justified under the exigent circumstances exception to the warrant requirement in the Fourth Amendment in following the defendant to the rear of the home where he smelled the marijuana. As a result, I believe the ensuing arrest was not illegal and that the subsequent consent to search the home was voluntary and therefore valid under these circumstances.
[¶ 37] MARY MUEHLEN MARING, J„ concurs.