Lead Opinion
Defendant, Gary Michael Ault, was indicted on January 3, 1985, for the crimes of second degree burglary, A.R.S. § 13-1507, and child molestation, A.R.S. § 13-1410. The state alleged prior convictions for six offenses from the State of California. Defendant was convicted on March 21, 1985, of both counts and sentenced to life imprisonment for child molestation and a concurrent 11.25 year term for burglary. We
At approximately 2 a.m. on December 27, 1984, a six year old girl was sexually molested while sleeping in her home. The victim woke her parents with screams. Her mother rushed into the bedroom the victim shared with her one year .old brother. The victim told her mother that a man had come into her room, unzipped her pajamas and fondled her genitals. Apparently the assailant entered the house through an unlocked door and left when the victim began screaming.
The police arrived at the scene and muddy footprints were found on the interior floors and outside the home. The footprints were unusually large and were in a distinctive “duck walk” pattern. The prints measured approximately 14 inches long and the stride of the person was estimated to be 28 to 36 inches. It had rained that night which accounted for the clarity of the prints.
The victim, who spoke only Spanish, told Deputy Salazar that her assailant wore a cap, Levis and a red shirt. She also said her assailant had a long mustache and was taller than Officer Sproul, who is six feet tall, and was young like Salazar, who was 26 years old. Based on the description and the distinctive footprints, two officers at the scene suspected defendant, who lived approximately a quarter of a mile from the victim’s house. The victim was taken to the hospital for an examination. There she was shown a photographic lineup of six men. She picked defendant as the man in her room who molested her.
While the victim was at the hospital, Officer Schmidt went to defendant’s home. He knocked on the door and no one answered. Schmidt waited outside for approximately two hours until a porch light came on around 5 a.m. Schmidt again knocked on the door and Charles Robertson, defendant’s roommate, told Schmidt that defendant was not present and authorized a search of the apartment for verification. Shortly after Schmidt left defendant returned home. At approximately 6:45 a.m. Deputies Salazar and Kehl went to defendant’s home. Defendant came to the door wearing just a pair of shorts or a towel. Defendant was advised by Salazar that he was investigating a trespass incident and requested that defendant accompany the deputies to the police station for questioning.
Defendant initially refused to go to the station indicating that he had to go to work. Salazar told defendant that if he did not cooperate he would be arrested. At that point defendant agreed to cooperate, turned from the door and headed back toward the bedroom to put on some clothes. The two deputies followed defendant inside without seeking permission to enter. Defendant told the deputies twice that they were not invited into the premises, but Salazar stated that the deputies were present for their own protection.
While inside, Salazar saw a pair of large, muddy tennis shoes on an oven door. He seized them and asked defendant if the shoes belonged to him. Defendant replied negatively. Nevertheless, Salazar brought the shoes back to the police station where defendant was formally arrested. Salazar testified that defendant was not under arrest at his home. However, he stated that regardless of whether defendant cooperated, it was Salazar’s intention to ultimately place defendant under arrest.
A search warrant was served upon defendant’s apartment at approximately 3 p.m. on December 27, 1984. The warrant authorized a search for the clothing defendant had worn the previous morning and for shoes owned by him. Deputies found a pile of damp clothes in defendant’s bedroom which included a pink sport shirt, blue jeans, a blue cap and a blue jacket. Both Robertson and defendant testified that the clothes seized were worn by defendant on the night of December 26,1984.
Defendant raises the following issues:
1. Did the trial court commit reversible error by permitting the tennis shoes seized by Deputy Salazar to be introduced at trial?
*463 2. Did the trial court err by not suppressing the evidence seized pursuant to the search warrant?
3. Did the trial court err in not suppressing references to the photographic lineup?
4. Did the trial court abuse its discretion by allowing the six year old victim to testify?
I.
Defendant argues that the tennis shoes seized by Deputy Salazar prior to his arrest should have been suppressed at trial. This is so, he asserts, because Salazar did not have permission to enter the apartment, he was not under arrest, no exigent circumstances existed and no search warrant had been issued. The state, conversely, argues that Salazar’s entrance was supported by exigent circumstances because of an alleged danger that defendant might reach for a weapon inside the apartment or try to escape. Alternatively, the state claims the shoes were properly seized under the inevitable discovery doctrine since they would have been seized pursuant to a search warrant executed later in the day.
It is clear that the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and art. 2 § 8 of the Arizona Constitution
At the time Deputies Salazar and Kehl went to defendant’s apartment they were aware of the footprint evidence, defendant’s distinctive walk, the description given by the victim, the result of the photographic lineup and defendant’s prior criminal background. We believe there was probable cause to arrest defendant based on this information. However, the deputies chose not to legally arrest defendant at his home but requested that he accompany them to the police station. The exigent circumstances alleged on behalf of the state were created by the arresting deputies. An arrest warrant could have been obtained and defendant apprehended at his home. This was not done.
The recognized exceptions to the warrant requirement, aside from consent, which can be considered exigent are 1) response to an emergency, 2) hot pursuit, 3) probability of destruction of evidence, and 4) the possibility of violence. See State v. Cook,
While we believe the safety of law enforcement personnel is of utmost importance, we cannot allow the creation of exigent circumstances in order to circumvent the warrant requirement. The mere incantation of the phrase “exigent circumstances” will not validate a warrantless search of one’s home. State v. Martin,
We also believe that, in spite of the warrantless entry into defendant’s home, he was also illegally arrested inside his home. This court has had occasion to recently discuss when a person is under arrest. See State v. Winegar,
When deciding if an arrest did, in fact, occur a significant consideration is the extent that freedom of movement is curtailed and the degree and manner of force used. State v. Waicelunas, supra; United States v. Beck, supra. Another significant factor is the display of official authority, such that “a reasonable person would have believed he was not free to leave.” State v. Winegar,
Deputy Salazar testified that defendant was not under arrest at his home. When questioned as to why defendant was not arrested at his home, Salazar replied that he wanted to get as much cooperation as possible out of defendant prior to arrest. However, Salazar further stated it was his intention to place defendant under arrest regardless of whether defendant cooperated. At the scene defendant’s freedom of movement was certainly curtailed and his liberty restricted, but no force was used. The two deputies told defendant he would be arrested if he did not go voluntarily to the station. No reasonable person would have believed that he was free to leave the scene at this point. All of the activity occurred inside defendant’s home so that the rule which allows warrantless arrest of individuals in public has absolutely no ap-: plication. We believe defendant was unlawfully under arrest at his home and therefore no legitimate argument can be made that the shoes were seized in plain view or as a search incident to arrest.
Since we have found no prior justification for the deputies to be inside defendant’s home, the state has failed the initial requirement of the “plain view” exception to the warrant requirement. The burden is on the state when it seeks an exception to the warrant requirement, State v. Fisher,
The state argues that regardless of the legality of the initial seizure of the tennis shoes the inevitable discovery doc
In Nix v. Williams, supra, the body of a murdered child was deemed admissible because its discovery was found to be inevitable in spite of the fact that the location of the body was obtained in violation of the defendant’s constitutional rights. However, the U.S. Supreme Court had previously declared that the defendant’s incriminating statements were the product of an unlawful interrogation and were erroneously admitted into evidence at trial. See Brewer v. Williams,
“... evidence obtained as a result of an unlawful search need not be suppressed where, in the normal course of the police investigation and absent illicit conduct, the evidence would have been discovered anyway.”116 Ariz. at 138 ,568 P.2d at 1036 .
The search in State v. Lamb, supra, occurred in a hotel. The defendant argued that drugs, currency and a gun should have been suppressed due to an illegal pat-down search. The illegality of the search was conceded, but this Court allowed derivative evidence to be used at trial since it came to light independent of the illegal search and in the normal course of the investigation. In State v. Hein, supra, the defendant’s rights were violated when custodial interrogation was conducted prior to the giving of Miranda warnings. We held the question asked by the arresting officer and defendant’s incriminating response could not properly be admitted at trial. We held, however, that a gun and ammunition found in defendant’s car were admissible based on the inevitable discovery doctrine. Most recently in State v. Castaneda, supra, the police made allegedly coercive threats to the defendant. In response the defendant told authorities where the body of his victim was located. We held that while the police statements may have amounted to coercion, the failure to suppress the defendant’s response was harmless. However, the body would have inevitably been discovered under the facts of the case and was therefore admissible.
The court of appeals in State v. Reynolds,
Our decision not to extend the inevitable discovery doctrine into defendant’s home in this case is based on a violation of art. 2 § 8 of the Arizona Constitution regardless of the position the United States Supreme Court would take on this issue. While our constitutional provisions were generally intended to incorporate federal protections, State v. Bolt,
We strongly adhere to the policy that unlawful entry into homes and seizure of evidence cannot be tolerated. The exceptions to the warrant requirement are narrow and we choose not to expand them. No exigent circumstances existed to allow a warrantless entry into defendant’s home. The police could have easily obtained an arrest warrant which would have allowed defendant to be arrested in his home. The tennis shoes could then have been seized under the plain view exception or as a search incident to arrest. This is not a case of harmless error. The police officers had defendant in custody and had seized his shoes prior to obtaining and executing the search warrant on his home. We believe the evidence seized pursuant to the search warrant was properly admitted at trial, State v. Martin, supra, and further hold that the tennis shoes seized should have been suppressed as primary evidence obtained as a direct result of police misconduct. Because we must reverse we will consider those questions likely to be raised again on retrial, keeping in mind that different evidence presented on retrial may mandate different results.
II.
Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the affidavit used to support the search warrant of his residence because it did not characterize the place to be searched as his residence and it did not sufficiently state why the affiant believed that the clothes worn by defendant previously would be at the residence. We disagree.
The description in a search warrant must be of sufficient particularity to enable a searching officer to ascertain the place to be searched, Mehrens v. State,
Search warrants are presumed to be correct and should not be invalidated by a hypertechnical interpretation when a magistrate had probable cause to issue the
The affidavit in support of the search warrant in the present case defined the place to be searched as “3351 W. Columbia, in the County of Yuma.” The items to be seized were defined as “clothing worn by Gary Ault on morning of December 27, 1984 and shoes owned by Gary Ault.” The “Regular Information Form” notes attached to the affidavit establish that probable cause existed to search defendant’s apartment. The notes briefly stated the facts of the molestation and burglary and particularly indicated that the victim had described the suspect and his clothing and that the victim had picked defendant out of a photo lineup.
We believe the magistrate had probable cause to issue the search warrant and that he could rationally determine from the affidavit that the place to be searched was defendant’s residence in which the described clothing would be found. The clothing and shoes to be seized were described with sufficient particularity so as to limit the scope of the search. See State v. Rodriquez,
III.
Defendant argues that the photographic lineup was unduly suggestive. We disagree. The victim viewed six photographs in a clear plastic exhibit. Four photos were on one side and two photos were on the reverse side. Defendant’s photo was on the bottom right on the front side. Each subject has a mustache and fairly long hair. Defendant claims his photo is the only one not taken from a full, frontal position, but at an upward angle. Assuming this claim to be true, we do not believe this was a suggestive lineup. A photographic lineup is not unduly suggestive due to subtle differences in the photographs. State v. Via,
The victim was shown the photographs shortly after she observed defendant in her room. There was a night light on next to her bed which enhances the reliability of the identification. The procedure used at the hospital was not suggestive. Deputy Rhodes and the victim’s mother who were present at the hospital testified that the victim was first shown the two photos on the back of the exhibit and then she was shown the front four photos. She pointed only to defendant’s photo. Deputy Salazar, who conducted the lineup, testified that he asked the victim to look carefully at the photos and showed her both sides of the exhibit. Salazar stated the victim looked at her mother and him prior to selecting a photo. Salazar pointed to the pictures one at a time, stopping at each and asking the victim if this was the man who touched her. She only stated “yes” for defendant’s photo. Although there are slight discrepancies as to the precise procedures employed, neither of the described procedures is unduly suggestive. Based on the totality of the circumstances the victim’s identification of defendant was reliable. See Neil v. Biggers,
We do not believe it is significant that the victim could not identify defendant at trial. Her identification of defendant at the photographic lineup was admissible per A.R.S. § 13-1416. As previously mentioned, the victim was six years old and defendant had shaved his mustache for trial. We also find no error in witness testimony by those present at the hospital for the photographic lineup. It was proper for these witnesses to testify that the victim did pick defendant as the man in her room.
IV.
Defendant claims that the victim was not competent to testify and that the trial court
“The following shall not be witnesses in a civil action:
2) Children under ten years of age who appear incapable of receiving just impressions of the facts respecting which they are to testify, or of relating them truly.”
The above statute is applicable to criminal actions. A.R.S. § 13-4061; State v. Schossow,
A pretrial hearing was held on January 29, 1985. The victim testified at the hearing with the aid of an official interpreter. She was examined by the prosecuting attorney and cross-examined by defense counsel. Thereafter the trial court ruled that the victim was competent to testify. The trial judge found that the examination of the victim demonstrated that she knew what is a lie and what is not and that although she could not define what is truth and what is a lie, her responses to questions demonstrated an awareness of the difference. See State v. Pittman,
Reversed and remanded.
Notes
. No person shall be disturbed in his private affairs, or his home invaded, without authority of law.
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. The majority writes “[w]e choose not to allow the inevitable discovery doctrine to reach into homes....” I, however, can find no explanation why the policy reasons in support of the inevitable discovery doctrine should magically disappear at the door of “King Gary’s Castle”.
As stated by the majority, the inevitable discovery doctrine allows the admission of illegally obtained physical evidence when the prosecution can show by a preponderance of the evidence that it would inevitably have been obtained by lawful means. Nix v. Williams,
In the instant case, the muddy tennis shoes illegally seized by Deputy Salazar would have been discovered and lawfully obtained later pursuant to a valid search warrant. The defendant could not have removed the shoes prior to the execution of the warrant since he was taken to the police station and arrested that morning. The defendant’s roommate, Robertson, could not have removed the shoes since he was at work until summoned home to allow deputies to enter the house and execute the search warrant. Therefore, the shoes inevitably would have been found when the warrant was executed.
Further, the search warrant itself was issued on independent grounds not tainted by the illegally seized shoes. The affidavit was based on specific facts not related to the illegal search. Additionally, it is clear that after defendant’s arrest, a search warrant would have been obtained as a normal aspect of a police investigation. See State v. Butler,
The majority bases its reasoning on the fact that the warrantless search occurred in a home. This fact somehow bars application of the inevitable discovery doctrine. In reality, no such barrier exists. See State v. Butler, supra (bedclothes with bullet hole held admissible under inevitable discovery doctrine despite warrantless search of bedroom, even where warrant was not subsequently issued); State v. Holler,
Finally, I feel the majority has misread State v. Reynolds,
SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION
In State v. Ault,
I.
A central issue in this case is whether a certain pair of tennis shoes could be introduced into evidence at trial under the inevitable discovery doctrine. The shoes were seized during an unlawful arrest of appellant at his home at approximately 7:00 a.m. on December 27, 1984. A search warrant was issued at approximately 3:00 p.m. that same day which permitted police officers to return to appelllant’s home and find clothing worn by the appellant while committing his alleged criminal conduct. The state claimed that the shoes were properly seized under the inevitable discovery doctrine because they would have been seized during the legal search conducted approximately eight hours after their illegal seizure.
We are unpersuaded that the shoes would have been inevitably discovered during the legal afternoon search. Appellant’s roommate had plenty of time between the unlawful arrest and the lawful search during which he could have hidden, removed, or destroyed the shoes. The fact that the roommate did not tamper with clothing which he knew appellant had worn during his alleged criminal activities suggest that the shoes may have remained untouched by him. This is reasoning in retrospect, however. The mere fact that appellant’s roommate had easy access to the shoes during the day precludes us from concluding that the shoes would have been inevitably discovered during the legal afternoon search.
*470 II.
In our earlier opinion we wrote:
The illegal search of defendant’s home directly produced his tennis shoes. We choose not to allow the inevitable discovery doctrine to reach into homes of citizens in the factual situation before us.
* * * * * *
[We] further hold that the tennis shoes seized should have been suppressed as primary evidence obtained as a direct result of police misconduct.
Ante at 465-66,
III.
We acknowledge that we cited Segura v. United States,
. However, our holding does not preclude use of the inevitable discovery rule to introduce evidence directly or primarily obtained illegally in other contexts. See, e.g., State v. Castaneda,
Nor by our holding do we express any opinion on whether the plain view doctrine or independent source doctrine can be invoked to introduce evidence directly and primarily obtained in a search or seizure of a home that violates Ariz. Const, art. 2, § 8. We need not address those issues today because neither exception to the exclusionary rule can be successfully applied to the facts of this case.
