Lead Opinion
Opinion by
' 1 Defendant, Donald Eugene Taylor, appeals the judgment of conviction entered on a jury verdict finding him guilty of conspiracy to distribute a scheduled II controlled substance. In part, defendant appeals an order refusing to suppress evidence discovered during a warrantless search of the call history contained in his cellular telephone on his person at the time of his arrest,. We conclude the search of defendant's cell phone was a lawful search incident to arrest, and, therefore, discern no error in the trial court's refusal to suppress that evidence. We reject defendant's remaining contentions and affirm the judgment of conviction.
I. Background
T2 The material facts are not in dispute. On November 20, 2008, undercover officers C.S. and J.W. of the Aurora Police Department were conducting sting operations on the East Colfax corridor. Detective C.S. and Investigator J.W. were patrolling in an undercover police car when they observed defendant making gestures at them consistent with initiating a drug transaction.
T3 The officers approached defendant and Investigator J.W. asked if he "could get a hookup." Defendant asked, "[Hlook you up with what?" to which Investigator J.W. replied, "[Florty hard," street slang for $40 worth of crack cocaine. Defendant responded that he did not sell drugs, but he indicated that he could call someone to sell them the drugs. Defendant then instructed the officers to park across the street.
€ 4 The officers observed defendant make a phone call on his cellular telephone, and soon thereafter a female approached and entered the car. Investigator J.W. purchased $40 of erack cocaine from the woman. After the controlled purchase, both defendant and the woman were arrested.
T5 After defendant was arrested, he was searched and his cell phone was seized. One of the arresting officers, Sergeant R., opened the call log history of defendant's cell phone, noting a call was recently placed to the woman's phone.
T6 Defendant was charged with distribution of a controlled substance and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Following a jury trial, defendant was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and the jury deadlocked on the distribution count. The court dismissed the distribution count, and sentenced defendant to eight years in community corrections.
IIL. Motion to Suppress
T7 Defendant contends he was subject to an unlawful search when the police reviewed his cellular telephone's call log without obtaining a warrant.
T9 At the suppression hearing, the trial court ruled the seizure of defendant's cell phone was lawful. The court then ruled the search of the call log was lawful, first, because it was a search incident to arrest and second, because the call log was in plain view. Based upon an objection by defense counsel, the trial court further ruled that the search of the call history was also proper based upon exigent cireumstances.
110 For present purposes we assume, as apparently did the trial court, two propositions: First, defendant had a reasonable expectation of privacy in his cellular telephone's call history
T11 Under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and article II, section 7 of the Colorado Constitution, warrantless searches are per se unreasonable unless they fall under a specifically established and well-delinesated exception to the warrant requirement. City of Ontario v. Quon, - U.S. -, -,
112 One specifically established exception to the Fourth Amendment's warrant requirement is "a search incident to lawful
{13 Neither the United States Supreme Court nor the Colorado Supreme Court has directly considered the issue of whether a search incident to arrest may include a search of a cell phone's contents, and if it does, how thorough the search might be. We conclude, under the cireumstances present in this case, that the search of defendant's cell phone's call history was a lawful search incident to arrest.
T 14 In Robinson,
A police officer's determination as to how and where to search the person of a suspect whom he has arrested is necessarily a quick ad hoc judgment which the Fourth Amendment does not require to be broken down in each instance into an analysis of each step in the search. The authority to search the person incident to a lawful custodial arrest, while based upon the need to disarm or to discover evidence, does not depend on what a court may later decide was the probability in a particular arrest situation that weapons or evidence would in fact be found upon the person of the suspect. A custodial arrest of a suspect based on probable cause is a reasonable intrusion under the Fourth Amendment; that intrusion being lawful, a search incident to the arrest requires no additional justification. It is the fact of the lawful arrest which establishes the authority to search, and we hold that in the case of a lawful custodial arrest a full search of the person is not only an exception to the warrant requirement of the Fourth Amendment, but is also a 'reasonable' search under that Amendment.
T 15 Several years after Robinson was decided, the Supreme Court limited the area available for search incident to arrest to the arrestee's person and areas "within the immediate control" of an arrestee. United States v. Chadwick,
T 16 The weight of authority applies Robinson and Edwards to find that a search of the contents of a defendant's cellular telephone or other personal electronic device is a lawful search incident to arrest. See, e.g., United States v. Murphy,
117 We conclude that a search of the call history of a cellular telephone on the person of the arrestee is a lawful search incident to arrest. Here, the uncontested evidence at the suppression hearing was that defendant's cell phone was removed from his person after his lawful custodial arrest. The officer then searched defendant's cell phone call history to confirm defendant had called the woman who arrived to sell Investigator J.W. the drugs. This search was a lawful warrantless search incident to arrest. See, e.g., Smallwood,
{18 Additionally, applying the narrower view proposed by some courts that officers may not search all data contained in a cell phone, nevertheless the search of the call history of defendant's cell phone was lawful. See Hawkins v. State,
1 19 We recognize that many modern cell phones, tablets, and other personal electronic devices, like computers, are capable of storing and accessing large amounts of personal information, and we are aware of the concerns of other courts regarding searches for information contained in these devices. See Diaz,
{20 We agree with the practical consideration proposed by Magistrate Judge Torres of the Southern District of Florida, who stated:
Perhaps the better alternative is to a find a technological answer to this technological problem. We don't have the answer, but a good place to start is by a user password protecting the electronic device. Short of that practical step, the solution does not lie with a revamped analysis of the search incident to arrest doctrine.
Gomez,
T21 Thus, we conclude that the call history stored in a cell phone that is found in a defendant's clothes and on his person incident to arrest is not beyond the seope of a search incident to arrest. Accordingly, on the facts of this case, defendant's cell phone call log was accessible to searching officers.
122 Based upon our conclusion that the search of the call history of defendant's cell phone was a lawful search incident to arrest, we do not address the trial court's alternative conclusions that the call history was in plain view and that the search was justified by exigent cireumstances.
III. Juror Challenge
€{23 Defendant next contends the trial court abused its discretion in denying his
124 We review a trial court's ruling on a challenge for cause for abuse of discretion. Carrillo v. People,
125 A trial court must exeuse a biased or prejudiced person from a jury. People v. Young,
126 A trial court is entitled to give considerable weight to a potential juror's assurance that the juror can serve fairly and impartially, People v. Blankenship,
27 During voir dire, the following colloquy took place between defense counsel and Jurors R and J:
[Defense Counsel]: [Juror RJ, let me ask you a question. We talked about the presumption of innocence. The defendant is presumed innocent. Is there a part of you that says, look, if [defendant] had not done anything at all, had not done anything wrong, he would not be sitting over there at a table that says, etched in steel, Defendant? Is there a part of you that thinks he must have done something wrong?
[Juror RJ: No.
[Defense Counsel]: Anybody? [Juror JJ, is there a part of you that says you do end up sitting in that seat for doing nothing?
[Juror JJ: I don't.
[Defense Counsel): You don't what?
[Juror JJ:; It is true.
[Defense Counsell: You had to do something for sitting there? Do you think-do you think it is possible for police maybe to get it wrong? Do you think sometimes police officers are mistaken?
[Juror JJ: No, not most of the time.
[Defense Counsell: Really? So if the judge instructs you that you need to presume [defendant] innocent because we have not heard any evidence in the case, in the back of your head you will be thinking, oh, he probably did something wrong, let me hear the story, we will see if maybe I can prove him innocent?
[Juror J]: Yeah.
[Defense Counsel]: Do you think because of these feelings it might be difficult for you to be fair and impartial to [defendant]?
[Juror J)]; No, I don't think-
[Defense Counsel]: You will presume him innocent?
[Juror JJ]: Until the story comes out. We will see.
[Defense Counsell: But you have not heard anything yet?
[Juror J]: Right.
[Defense Counsel): So if you were asked to reach a verdict right now, let's say [the district attorney] gets up, says the prose-ecution rests, the case is closed, what is your verdiet?
[Juror JJ; He is there for something.
[Defense Counsell: So the verdict would be guilty?
[Juror JJ]: Probably, yeah.
[Defense Counsel]: Okay. Thank you.
[Trial Court]: [Juror JJ, I will interrupt for a moment. I want all jurors to understand the defendant is presumed innocent until the evidence is presented to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He is entitled to a verdict of not guilty. Is*326 that an instruction you can follow, [Juror JJ
[Juror JJ; Right.
[Trial Court]: At this point if I were to give you this case with no evidence, what would your verdict be?
[Juror JJ:; Innocent.
[Trial Court]: Okay. Thank you.
€{28 Defense counsel challenged Juror J and a second juror for cause, without stating a specific reason. The trial court denied the challenges, stating:
[Njeither juror presents any indication of being anything but a fair and impartial juror. The Court notes the exchange that took place between defense counsel and the jurors was to some extent in a vacuum . and did not inquire as to whether the jurors would follow the law and instructions given to them by the Court.
Based upon the Court's observations of the manner and demeanor of these jurors, based upon the responses to the Court's inquiry, the fact there halve] not been follow-up questions, when afforded an opportunity, the challenges for cause are denied.
Defendant then used a peremptory challenge to remove Juror J from the jury.
129 We conclude the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying defendant's challenge for cause of Juror J. First, the trial court was in the best position to assess whether any of Juror J's responses warranted dismissal for cause. See Veloz,
130 Nor are we persuaded by defendant's argument that the trial court's statement that "the defendant is presumed innocent until the evidence is presented to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt" is an incorrect statement of the law, and thus failed to rehabilitate Juror J. During jury selection, the trial court instructed the jury at least three times that defendant was innocent until proven guilty and that the prosecution bore the burden of proving defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and we discern no abuse of discretion in the trial court's statement above and rejection of defendant's challenge for cause of Juror J. See Young,
IV. Entrapment Instruction
$31 Defendant contends the trial court erred in denying his tendered entrapment instruction based upon its conclusion that because defendant denied committing the crime, he could not plead the affirmative defense of entrapment. We reject this contention.
132 "A trial court's failure to provide a jury instruction after a defendant requests such instruction will be reviewed under the harmless error standard." Brown v. People,
*327 [tlhe defendant engaged in the proscribed conduct because he was induced to do so by a law enforcement official or other person acting under his direction, seeking to obtain evidence for the purpose of prosecution, and the methods used to obtain that evidence were such as to create a substantial risk that the acts would be committed by a person who, but for such inducement, would not have conceived of or engaged in conduct of the sort induced. Merely affording a person an opportunity to commit an offense is not entrapment even though representations or inducements calculated to overcome the offender's fear of detection are used.
§ 18-1-709, C.R.S.2011.
188 Under Colorado law, entrapment is an affirmative defense. People v. Sprouse,
1 34 Notwithstanding the foregoing, defendant argues that under the supreme court's recent holding in Brown,
135 Defendant's reading of Brown is too expansive. While the supreme court's holding in Brown only addressed lesser included offenses, the division of this court deciding Brown,
136 Furthermore, assuming that the standard set forth in Brown were to apply here, we would nevertheless conclude that the trial court did not err in denying defendant's proposed entrapment instruction, because the evidence failed to support such an instruction.
137 "The entrapment statute creates a subjective test that focuses on the state of mind of a particular defendant, and does not set a general standard for police conduct." Sprouse,
{38 Here, defendant argues the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to him, shows that the initial exchange with the officers established "some evidence" that the officers improperly induced him to aid in a drug sale.
39 We agree with the trial court, however, that the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to show "persistent inducements that would make anybody act in a criminal manner when they were not previously predisposed to do so." As the trial court noted, the evidence at trial was that defendant made hand and head signals which caused the police to contact him. Furthermore, accepting defendant's statement that the police contacted him first as true, the officers' two or possibly three questions on where to buy drugs are not such "persistent inducements" that they would make anybody act in a erimi-nal manner. Indeed, this highlights defendant's predisposition to sell drugs, and, accordingly, we perceive no error in the trial court's refusal to give an entrapment instruetion.
1 40 The judgment is affirmed.
Notes
. In this case, there is no dispute that the custodial arrest of defendant was lawful. Defendant further does not contend the warrantless seizure of the phone was illegal. Rather, defendant only challenges the validity of the warrantless search of the phone's call log.
. In his reply brief, defendant contends the People failed to raise this issue with the trial court, and, therefore, the argument is surrendered on appeal. However, the trial court chose to decide defendant's suppression motion in part on a conclusion that the search constituted a lawful search incident to arrest, and consequently we review that ruling here. Cf. People v. Salazar,
. Defendant argued in his motion to suppress that the search of his cellular telephone's call log violated his right to be free from unlawful searches and seizures under the United States Constitution, Colorado Constitution, and Colorado statutes. Because Colorado has not departed in any significant way from federal analysis of searches incident to arrest, we find those cases analyzing the Fourth Amendment persuasive. See, e.g., People v. Bischofberger,
. Other courts to consider this issue have found a reasonable expectation of privacy in a cellular telephone's call history. See, e.g., United States v. Finley,
. Defendant contends that because Juror J responded he would find defendant "innocent" rather than "not guilty," it shows Juror J did not understand or would not apply the correct burden of proof. This argument is unpersuasive, since Juror J was directly responding the trial court's statement that a defendant is "presumed innocent."
Concurrence Opinion
specially concurring.
{41 The majority acknowledges the concerns expressed by other courts regarding searches for information by way of modern cell phones, tablets, and other personal electronic devices based on the capability of such devices for storing and accessing large amounts of personal information. I write separately simply to point out that many other courts reject the view that the potential volume of information in a cell phone changes its character as a personal effect that may store considerable evidence of the crime for which a suspect has been arrested, and which may be searched incident to arrest under United States v. Robinson,
42 Likewise, courts have noted problems that would be caused by limiting a search on the basis of the quantity and types of information a device might hold. See United States v. Murphy,
