Petition — California v. Wilson
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JAN B@ 1904
2
83-1222 ALEXANOER L. STEVAS.
a Ae ce
IN THE SUPREME COURT
OF THE UNITED STATES
October Term, 1983
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA,
Petitioner,
Vv.
CLEROW WILSON,
Respondent.
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI
TO THE SUPREME COURT OF CALIFORNIA
ROBERT H. PHILIBOSIAN
District Attorney of
Los Angeles County
HARRY B. SONDHEIM
Head, Appellate Division
RODERICK W. LEONARD
Deputy District Attorney
849 South Broadway
llth Ploor
Los Angeles, California
90014-3570
Telephone: (213) 974-5922
Attorney for Petitioner
No.
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE
UNITED STATES
October Term, 1983
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
Petitioner,
Vv.
CLEROW WILSON,
Respondent.
QUESTION PRESENTED FOR REVIEW
Is there a “seizure” within
the meaning of the Fourth Amendment
when a police officer approaches a
traveler at an airport, identifies
himself as a police officer, requests
a minute of time to talk to that
person to which the person agrees,
and then explains that he is
conducting a narcotics investigation
1
and has information that the person
is carrying a lot of drugs.
LIST OF PARTIES TO THE PROCEEDING
IN THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT
1. Clerow Wilson,
represented by Paul Moore, II, was
the defendant in the trial court and
petitioner before the California
Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of
the State of California.
2. The Superior Court of
Los Angeles represented by the Office
of County Counsel, Los Angeles
County, was the respondent in the
appellate courts below. No
appearance was made in the appellate
a“
courts below on behalf of respondent
Superior Court of Los Angeles County.
3. The People of the State
of California, represented by the
Office of the Los Angeles County
District Attorney, was plaintiff in
the trial court and the ceal party in
interest in the appellate courts
below.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUESTION PRESENTED FOR
REVIEW
LIST OF PARTIES TO THE
PROCEEDING IN THE
CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT
OPINIONS BELOW
JURISDICTION
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS
INVOLVED
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
Introduction
Facts
Procedural History
REASON FOR GRANTING THE
PETITION FOR WRIT OF
CERTIORARI
WHERE A POLICE OFFICER,
ENGAGED IN NARCOTICS
SUPPRESSION, APPROACHES
AN INDIVIDUAL,
IDENTIFIES HIMSELF, ASKS
FOR A MINUTE OF THE
PERSON'S TIME AND UPON
RECEIVING AN AFFIRMATIVE
RESPONSE ADVISES THE
i
INDIVIDUAL HE IS
CONDUCTING A NARCOTICS
INVESTIGATION AND HAS
INFORMATION THE PERSON
IS CARRYING A LOT OF
ORUGS, THERE IS NO
SEIZURE OF THE
INDIVIDUAL UNDER THE
FOURTH AMENDMENT OF THE
UNITED STATES
CONSTITUTION
CONCLUSION
16-26
26-27
Pay
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
Cases Pages
California v. Steward (1966) 6
364 U.8. 436, 66 S.Ct.
1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694
Cox Broadcasting Corp. v. 6
Cohn (1975) 420 U.S. 469,
95 S.Ct. 1029, 43
L.Ed.2d 328
Dunaway v. New York (1979) ste Ge
442 U.S. 200, 99 S.Ct.
2245, 60 L.Ed.2d 824 |
Florida v. Royer (1983) 15, 17,
eo eee ee 28, 2,
229, 103 S.Ct. 1319 22
Michigan v. Clifford (Filed 6
January ll, 1984, __ U.S.
, 84 Los Angeles
Daily Journal, D.A.R.
185
Mills v. Alabama (1966) 384 6
US. 214, 86 8.Ct. 1434,
16 L.Ed.2d 484
Miranda v. Arizona (1966) 6
384 U.S. 436, 16 L.Ed.2d
694, 10 A.L.R. 974
People v. Lilienthal (1978) 5
(1978) 22 Cal.3d 891
iii
ui
People v. Shuey (1975)
13 Cal.3d 835
vi
@ People v. Triggs (1973)
8 Cal.3d 884
Reid v. Georgia (1980) 4432 15, 18,
U.S. 438, 65 L.Ed.2d 890, 19
100 S.Ct. 2752
Schneckloth v. Bustamante 23
(1973) 412 U.S. 218, 93
S.Ct. 2041, 36 L.Ed.2d
854
Terry v. Ohio (1968) 392 eo ee 3
0.8. i 22, 25
United States v. Mendenhall LSo Ube
(1980) 446 U.S. 544, 64 20, 22
L.Ed.2d 497, 100 s.Cce,.
1870
Wilson v. Superior Court 4, 5,
(1983) 34 Cal.3d 777, 22
195 Cal.Rptr. 671, 670
P.2d 325
Constitutions
United States Conscitution
3 Fourth Amendment vi
Fourteenth Amendment vi, vii
iv
Statutes
28 U.S.C. §1257(3) 5
California Health and
Safety Code
§11350(a) 13
§11357(a) 13
Rule of the Supreme
Court of the United
States
Rule 20.4 6
Rule 29.1 6
—
OPINIONS BELOW
The opinion of the Supreme
Court of California is reported at 34
Cal.3d 777, 195 Cal.Rptr. 671, 670
P.2d 325. (See Appendix A.) The
Opinion of the California Court of
Appeal, Second Appellate District,
Division 2 was reported in 134
Cal.App.3d 1062. (See Appendix B.)
JURISDICTION
The opinion of the Supreme
Court of California was filed on
October 20, 1983. A timely Petition
for Rehearing was filed in the
Supreme Court of California. The
order denying the Petition for
hy
+
Rehearing was filed by the Clerk of
the Supreme Court of California on
November 23, 1983. (Appendix C.)
This Court's jurisdiction is invoked
under 28 U.S.C. Section 1257(3).1
1 The decision of the California
Supreme Court suppressing all the
narcotics in the case at bar which
gave rise to all the charges against
Mr. Wilson was based exclusively upon
an interpretation of the United
States Constitution. (Wilson v.
Superior Court, supra, 34 Cal.3d at
791.) That decision by California's
highest state court precludes further
litigation on the federal claim, the
finality of which now becomes
conclusive. All that remains is
dismissal of the case by the trial
court since the Petitioner no longer
has any relevant evidence to proceed
with the prosecution. Once the
evidence is suppressed dismissal
follows and Petitioner is precluded
from further appellate review based
on both (1) law of the case (People
v. Shuey (1975) 13 Cal.3d 835, 841)
and (2) stare decisis. (People v.
Triggs (1973) & Cal.3d 884, 890-891
overuled on other grounds in People
v. Lilienthal (1978) 22 Cal.3d 891, ©
896].) This Court recognizes that
effective finality of judgment by a
a)
~~
eas
—
The instant Petition for Writ of
Certiorari is filed within 60 days of
the order of the Supreme Court of
California denying rehearing. (Rules
of the Supreme Court of the United
States, Rule 20.4; Rule 29.1.)
state high court bestows jurisdiction
upon this Court. (Cox Broadcasting
Corp. v. Cohn (1975) 420 U.S. 469,
479-481; 95 S.Ct 1029, 1038-1039; 43
L.Ed.2d 328 on remand 214 S.E.2d 530,
234 Ga. 67; Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
384 U.S. 436, 498, n. 71; 86 S.Ct.
1602, 1640, n. 71; 16 L.Ed.2d 694, 10
A.L.R. 974, rehearing denied 385 U.S.
890, 87 S.Ct. 11, 17 L.Bd.2d 121;
California v. Steward (1966) (decided
with Miranda v. Arizona, supra) 384
U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d
694; Mills v. Alabama(1966) 384 U.S.
214, 86 S.Ct. 1434, 16 L.Ed.2d 484.)
It appears that this Court has
recently granted jurisdiction in a
case procedurally comparable to the
case at bar. (Michigan v. Clifford,
et al. (Filed January 11, 1984, ___
U.S. _. 84 Los Angeles Daily
Journal D.A.R. 183.) Thus, this
Court can properly accept
jurisdiction in the case at bar.
0
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS
bs INVOLVED
United States Constitution @
Amendment IV provides that:
"The right of the People to be
secure in their persons, houses,
papers and effects, against
unreasonable searches and
seizures, shall not be violated,
and no warrants shall issue but
upon probable cause, supported
by oath or affirmation, and
particularly describing the
place to be searched, and the
persons or things to be
seized."
United States Constitution
Amendment .XIV, Section 1 provides
that:
"All persons born or
naturalized in the United
States, and subject to the
jurisdiction thereof, are
citizens of the United States
and of the state wherein they
reside. No State shall make or
enforce any law which shall
abridge the privileges or ,
immunities of citizens of the @
United States; nor shall any
State deprive any person of
vi
life, liberty or property,
without due process of law; nor
deny to any person within its
jurisdiction equal protection of
the laws."
Vii
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
Introduction
This case concerns an )
airport search whereby a police
officer, acting upon information
which did not provide probable cause
for detention, approached Clerow
Wilson at the Los Angeles
International Airport and asked if he
“might have a minute of his time."
Upon receiving an affirmative
response, the officer advised Mr.
Wilson that he had received
information that Mr. Wilson would be
arriving from Florida carrying a lot
of drugs, and asked consent to search
Mr. Wilson's luggage. Consent was
given and narcotics were recovered
from Mr. Wilson's attache case. ©
7
Facts
On March 10, 1981 Officer
Roy Kaiser of the Los Angeles Police
Department was assigned to an
undercover narcotics operation at the
Los Angeles International Airport.
(Reporter's Transcript [hereinafter
"RT"} 115.) Officer Kaiser had
worked exclusively narcotics
Suppression at the Los Angeles
International Airport for the past
four and a half years. (RT 167.) He
testified to extensive training and
experience. (RT 115.) Officer
Kaiser was on that date generally
monitoring the inbound flights from
Florida which, based upon his
experience, he recognized served as a
conduit to channel illegal drugs into
8
‘Z
California. (RT 119-120.) Officer
Kaiser had prior information that Mr.
Wilson might be arriving from Florida
on that date (RT 120) but he had not
expected to observe Mr. Wilson
deplane from the particular Pan
American Miami-Los Angeles flight
which arrived at approximately 11:30
Or 11:45 a.m. (RT 116-117, 119-120,
127-128.) When Mr. Wilson deplaned
he was recognized by Officer Kaiser.
(RT 128.) Wilson was carrying an
attache case and was accompanied by
an associate who was carrying a box
which contained the name "Flip
Wilson". (RT 119, 130.) Officer
Kaiser observed Mr. Wilson and the
associate look around inside the
arrival area. The associate made eye
fe)
contact with the officer. (RT
120-121.) Officer Kaiser testified
that this eye contact of looking
around after deplaning from the
Flight was consistent with that of
persons he had arrested in the past
for transporting narcotics. (RT
121.) Officer Kaiser followed the two
as they walked normally through the
concourse (RT 138-139) and observed
Mr. Wilson's associate look back over
his shoulder in the direction of the
officer and then immediately turn
back and appear to speak to Wilson
who turned his head to look back in
the direction of the officer. (RT
122.) Mr. Wilson and the associate
were met at the end of the concourse
by a woman who was subsequently
10
determined to be Mr. Wilson's wife.
(RT 122, 140.) The associate handed
Mr. Wilson the box which was placed
in a car parked by the curb and while
the associate walked to the baggage
Claim area the other two remained by
the car. (RT 122-123.) Officer
Kaiser then approached Mr. Wilson who
was then standing by the rear of the
open trunk, displayed his police
identification, told him he was a
police officer, and asked if he might
have a minute of his time. Mr.
Wilson's response was "Sure", “What
seems to be the problem?" (RT 124,
150.) Officer Kaiser told Wilson
that he was conducting a narcotics
investigation and that he had
information that Wilson would be
11
—
arriving on that date from Florida
and would be carrying a lot of drugs.
(RT 124, 150.) The trial court
excluded information received by
Officer Kaiser from his partner,
Detective Frederick, that Mr. Wilson
was coming from Florida transporting
a large amount of drugs. (RT
146-147, 176-177.) Officer Kaiser
did testify, however, that he had not
received other information that
Mr. Wilson was engaged in illegal
activity. (RT 1238.) Officer Kaiser
asked Mr. Wilson if he could search
his luggage. Wilson responded
"Sure". "I don't have any drugs that
I know of. Go ahead and search.” (RT
124-125.) Mr. Wilson placed the
attache case on the rear seat of the
12
vehicle and opened it for the officer
(RT 125, 153) who searched the case
and retrieved small amounts of
hashish (RT 126) and cocaine. (RT
L277.)
Procedural History
Clerow Wilson was arrested
and charged with possession of
illegal narcotics in violation of
California Health and Safety Code
sections 11350(a) and 11357(a). The
defense made a motion in the trial
court to suppress the evidence. The
motion was denied based upen the
trial court's opinion that no illegal
detention had occurred. (RT 251.)
The defense then filed a
Petition for Writ of Mandate in the
Court of Appeal of the State of @
13
SS ee
Tos.
-
California, Second Appellate
District, Division One. On August
20, 1982 that Court in a split
two-one decision, certified for
publication (Appendix B; 134
Cal.App.3d 1062), held that the
police conduct was lawful under
authority of both the United States
Constitution and the Constitution of
California.
The defense then petitioned
for a hearing in the Supreme Court of
California which, on October 30,
1983, in a unanimous opinion
(Appendix A; 34 Cal.3d 777),
overruled the decision of the courts
below, and held that the narcotics
were seized in violation of the
Fourth Amendment of the United States
14
Constitution. The Supreme Court of
California's opinion, which was based |
entirely upon its interpretation of ©
the Fourth Amendment of the United
States Constitution, as applied to
the states (34 Cal.3d at 791), held
that Police Officer Kaiser had
illegally detained Mr. Wilson and
therefore ordered the narcotics which
had been recovered to be suppressed.
(Id.) The Supreme Court of
California based its decision upon
its interpretation of this Court's
opinions in Reid v. Georgia (1980)
448 U.S. 438, 65 L.Ed.2d 890, 100
S.Ct. 2752; United States v.
Mendenhall (1980) 446 U.S. 544, 64
L.Ed.2d 497, 100 S.Ct. 1870; and
Florida v. Royer (1983) ___ U.S. __, eo
15
75 L.Ed.2d 229, 103 S.Ct. 1319. (See
@ Wilson v. Superior Court, supra at 34
REASON FOR GRANTING THE
PETITION FOR WRIT OF
CERTIORARI
WHERE A POLICE OFFICER,
ENGAGED IN NARCOTICS SUPPRESSION,
APPROACHES AN INDIVIDUAL, IDENTIFIES
HIMSELF, ASKS FOR A MINUTE OF THE
PERSON'S TIME AND UPON RECEIVING AN
AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSE ADVISES THE
INDIVIDUAL HE IS CONDUCTING A
NARCOTICS INVESTIGATION AND HAS
INFORMATION THE PERSON IS CARRYING A
LOT OF DRUGS, THERE IS NO SEIZURE OF
THE INDIVIDUAL UNDER THE FOURTH
AMENDMENT OF THE UNITED STATES
CONSTITUTION.
This Court has consistently
upheld the right of police to
approach and address questions to
16
i
individuals in a public place.
(Dunaway v. New York (1979) 442 U.S.
200, 210, note 12; Terry v. Ohio
(1968) 392 U.S. 1, 31, 32-33, 34;
United States v. Mendenhall, supra at
555.)
The lead opinion by this
Court in United States v. Mendenhall
recognized that no illegal “seizure”
occurs even where an individual at an
airport is asked by a law enforcement
officer for an airline ticket and
identification.
In Florida v. Royer, supra,
where police approached the defendant
at an airport, identified tnemselves,
asked for a moment of time to speak
with him, took his ticket end
identification, and asked him to
17
ee
,
accompany them to a police room
without returning the ticket and
driver's license, it was recognized
that “had Royer consented to a search
on the spot, the search could have
been conducted with Royer present in
the area where the bags were
retrieved by Officer Johnson and any
evidence recovered would have been
admissible against him.” (Id., 75
L.Ed.2d at 241.)
Reid v. Georgia, supra,
did not reach the issue of whether
the contact and questioning of a
citizen at an airport was a seizure
within the meaning of the Fourth
Amendment. In Reid the petitioner
had deplaned and a DEA agent
approached, identified himself as a
~
18
federal narcotics agent, and asked to
see airline ticket stubs and
identification. The agent appeared
to obtain consent for the search of
the petitioner and his bags. However,
on the way to the DEA office
petitioner dropped his bags and ran
from the officers. This Court held
that the introduction of the evidence
of the cocaine seized from the bag
violated petitioner's Fourth
Amendment rights. The California
Supreme Court recognized in its
Opinion in the instant case, Wilson
v. Superior Court, Supra, that “Reid
does not provide an answer to the
detention issue. Although the
holding that the circumstances known
to the officer before he approached
19
the two suspects did not rise to the
level of a ‘articulable suspicion',
the Reid court did not directly
address the issue of whether the
officers’ conduct amounted to a
‘detention’ of the suspect or, if it
did, at what point did the detention
begin ...." (Id., 34 Cal.3d at 787.)
In the encounter in the
case at bar, Officer Kaiser did not
ask for nor obtain tickets nor
identification. Officer Kaiser asked
for a minute of Mr. Wilson's time.
He identified himself. This was
permissible. (Florida v. Royer,
supra, 75 L.Ed.2d at 236; United
States v. Mendenhall, supra, 446
U.S. 544, 555, 64 L.Ed.2d 497, 100
S.Ct 1870.) Mr. Wilson was not
20
detained, not even momentarily. He
was advised of the narcotics
investigation and information
respecting his carrying a lot of
drugs. Mr. Wilson consented to
search for narcotics. It is
submitted that there was no
detention.
"If there is no detention
- no seizure within the meaning of
the Fourth Amendment - then no
constitutional rights have been
infringed." (Florida v. Royer,
Supra, 75 L.Ed.2d at 236.)
No detention occurred in
the case at bar. It was stated by
the California Supreme Court that
"... Detective Kaiser did not detain
Wilson, for federal constitutional
“>
<4
ee ee ee
purposes, merely by approaching him,
ident fying himself as a police
© officer, and asking if he might have
a minute of his time". (Wilson v.
Superior Court, supra at 790; see
also Dunaway v. New York, supra, 442
U.S. 200, 210, note 12; Terry v.
Ohio, supra, 392 U.S. 1, 31, 32-33,
34; United States v. Mendenhall,
Supra at 555.) Royer v. Florida,
supra, suggests that something more
than merely approaching an
individual, asking for a minute of
his time and identifying oneself as a
police officer converts an encounter,
which is without constitutional
constraint, into a seizure requiring
some level of objective justification
. ] (Florida v. Royer, supra, 103 S.Ct.
aa
& te
“ig
es" >
at 1324, 1326). This Court has held
that a police officer can properly
seek consent to search and need not
inform the individual of a right to
refuse that consent (Schneckloth v.
Bustamonte (1973) 412 U.S. 218, 231;
93 S.Ct. 2041, 2049-2050, 36 L.Ed.2d
854). In light of these authorities,
it is submitted that a police
officer can identify himself as a
narcotics officer and ask for consent
to search an individual who has
agreed to a temporary encounter with
the police officer, even though the
Clear implication of the request for
consent is that the officer is
searching for narcotics. The
California Supreme Court, however,
concluded that where the police
2%
officer expressly stated that he
sought consent to search because he
had information that the person whose
consent he sought had narcotics, the
encounter became a seizure within the
meaning of the Fourth Amendment.2 We
submit this is a distinction without
a difference and that the
Constitution does not prohibit a
police officer from expressly stating
that which is implied by the fact
2 ". . . Once the officer advised
Wilson that he had informacion that
Wilson was carrying a lot of drugs,
the entire complexion of the
encounter changed and Wilson could
not help but understand that at that
point he was the focus of the
officer's particularized suspicion.
Under these circumstances - and
particularly in the absence of any
clarifying advice from the officer
explaining to Wilson that he was, in
fact, free to drive away if he
desired - no reasonable person would
have believed that he was free to
leave." (34 Cad.3d at 791.)
24
oe. ;
PRS tens? YD
Ah. oes © ee oP ees
that he is a narcotics officer
seeking consent to search.
A distinction must be drawn
between an encounter and a seizure.
This Court has consisten.ily stated
that “only when the officer, by means
of physical force or show of
authority, has in some way restrained
the liberty of a citizen may we
conclude that a seizure has occurred”
(Terry v. Ohio, supra, 392 U.S. at
19, note 16; see also id. at 34
(White J. concurring); id., at 3l,
32-33 (Harlan J. concurring). It is
submitted that when a narcotics
officer identifies himself as such
and requests consent to search no
“show of authority” occurs which
restrains an individual so as to
eS
conclude that a seizure, rather than
an encounter, has occurred. No
physical force or show of authority
occurred in the case at bar so as to
restrain petitioner when Officer
Kaiser identified himself as a police
officer and informed petitioner of
the reason for the encounter. It is
submitted that the encounter in the
case at bar is not a seizure and
therefore the evidence obtained
incident thereto is admissible.
CONCLUSION
For the reasons set forth
in this Petition Petitioner
respectfully requests that a Writ of
26
<. :
PR
Certiorari issue to the Supreme Court
of California to review that Court's
decision to suppress narcotics seized ©
from respondent at the Los Angeles
International Airport.
Respectfully submitted,
ROBERT H. PHILIBOSIAN
District Attorney of
Los Angeles County
By
HARRY B. SONDHEIM
Head, Appellate Division
RODERICK W. LEONARD
Deputy District Attorney
Attorney for Petitioner
2°?
DECLARATION OF SERVICE ON THE COURT
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES per
The undersigned, Roderick
W. Leonard, Deputy District Attorney,
is a member of the bar of this Court.
On January 21, 1984, I placed in the
United States mail, via U. S. Postal
Service Express mail, with postage
prepaid, a box containing forty
copies of the instant brief and
appendices thereto accompanied by an
entry of appearance addressed as
follows:
Office of the Clerk
United States Supreme Court
Number 1 First Street, N. E.
Washington DC 20543
The instant Petition for Writ
of Certiorari and appendices were
thus mailed on January 21, 1984 which @
is within the permitted time.
ee re ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee ee
DECLARATION OF SERVICE BY MAIL
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES me
I, the undersigned, hereby
declare under penalty of perjury,
that the following is true and
correct:
I am a citizen of the
United States, over eighteen years of
age, not a party to the within cause
and employed in the Officer of the
District Attorney of Los Angeles
County, and a member of the bar of
this Court, with principal offices
located at 849 South Broadway, Los
Angeles, California 90014-3570; that
the District Attorney is the
Petitioner in the above-entitled
Matter. On January 21, 1984, I
served three copies of the forecoing
on the following persons and Court by
depositing true copies thereof,
enclosed in a sealed envelope with
first class postage thereon fully
prepaid in the United States mail in
the City of Los Angeles in compliance
with Supreme Court Rule 28, paragraph
three, addressed as follows:
CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT
3580 WILSHIRE BLVD.
ROOM 213
LOS ANGELES CA 90010
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE
3580 WILSHIRE BLVD.
LOS ANGELES CA 90010
PAUL F. MOORE II, ESQ.
2049 CENTURY PARK EAST
SUITE 3430
LOS ANGELES CA 90067
COURT OF APPEAL
SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT
3580 WILSHIRE BLVD.
LOS ANGELES CA 90010
HON. EDWARD A. HINZ
SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE
825 MAPLE AVENUE
TORRANCE CA 90503
COUNTY COUNSEL
648 HALL OF ADMINISTRATION
500 W. TEMPLE ST.
¢ LOS ANGELES CA 90012
RODERICK W. LEONARD
No.
_-—<——— =
OF THE UNITED STATES
October Term, 1983
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA,
Petitioner,
Vv.
CLEROW WILSON,
Respondent.
APPENDICES TO
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI
TO THE SUPREME COURT OF CALIFORNIA
ROBERT H. PHILIBOSIAN
District Attorney of
Los Angeles County
HARRY B. SONDHEIM
Head, Appellate Division
RODERICK W. LEONARD
Deputy District Attorney
849 South Broadway
llth Floor
Los Angeles, California
90014-3570
Telephone: (213) 974-5922
Attorney for Petitioner
EXHIBIT A
{L.A. NO. 31668, Oct. 20, 1983.]
CLEROW WILSON, Petitioner, v. THE
SUPERIOR COURT OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY,
Respondent; THE PEOPLE, Real Party in
Interest.
OPINION
KAUS, J. - In this writ proceeding,
Clerow (Flip) Wilson seeks review of
a trial court ruling which denied his
motion to suppress evidence obtained
as a result of police activity at the
Los Angeles International Airport.
(Penal Code, § 1538.5, subd. (i).)
Wilson contends that the police
conduct in question violated the
search and seizure provisions of both
the federal and state Constitutions
and that the evidence should
therefore be excluded from his
1A he
[34 Cal.3d 780)
impending trial. In response, the
People maintain (1) that the police
actions was proper under both federal
and state standards and (2) that even
if the conduct violated state search
and seizure principles, the evidence
may not be excluded on that basis in
light of article I, section 28,
subdivision (d) of the California
Constitution, the so-called
"Truth-in-Evidence” provision enacted
as part of an initiative measure -
Proposition 8 - adopted at the June
1982 election.
As explained, we conclude
that the evidence at issue was
obtained in violation of the federal
Constitution and must be suppressed
on that basis. Accordingly, we need
2A
not reach the other issues raised by
the parties.
I
At the hearing on the
motion to suppress, the arresting
officer, Detective Roi Kaiser and
Wilson each testified to the events
leading up to the discovery of the
challenged evidence. Although the
two agreed on a number of general
facts surrounding the discovery,
their testimony conflicted sharply
with respect to many important
details. Since the trial court
resolved this matter in favor of the
prosecution, for purposes of this
proceeding we view the record in the
light most favorable to the People's
position. In the interest of
completeness, however, we note the
3A
main points of conflict shown by the
record.
At the time of the events
in guestion - March 10, 1981 -
Detective Kaiser, a Los Angeles
police officer, had been working as
ar undercover narcotics agent at the
Los Angeles International Airport for
four and a half years, monitoring
inbound flights from Florida in an
attempt to discover persons
transporting narcotics into
California. Kaiser testified that
about 11:30 a.m. on that day, he and
his partner, Deputy Gary Frederick -
who was also in plain clothes - went
to the Pan American Airlines arrival
area to monitor the arrival of a
flight from Miami. As the passengers
left the plane and entered the
4A
terminal, Kaiser saw Wilson with
another man, later .dentified as
Wilson's nephew, Rashon. Kaiser
testified that he was not expecting
to see Wilson arrive on that flight,
but that he recognized him from his
television appearances. Wilson was
carrying an attache case and Rashon
was carrying a box bearing the name
"Flip Wilson.” Kaiser testified that
he noticed nothing unnsual about
these items.
As Kaiser watched, both
Wilson and Rashon looked around the
waiting area. Kaiser stated that at
this time he obrerved nothing unusual
about Wilson, but that Rashon made
"eye contact” with him on two
occasions, an occurrence which was
consistent with the behavior of
5A
persons he had arrested in the past
for transporting narcotics. Although
acknowledging that
{34 Cal.3d 781]
Rashon could have simply been looking
for someone who was meeting the
plane, Kaiser testified that it did
not appear that way to him. He
conceded, however, that he could not
articulate any objective basis for
differentiating the “eye contact” of
drug couriers from that of other
persons.
As Wilson and Rashon walked
at a normal pace from the arrival
area down a concourse to the street,
Kaiser followed about 10 feet behind.
Midway down the 200-foot concourse,
Rashon turned his head back in
Kaiser's general direction and
6A
immediately turned back to speak to
Wilson, who then also turned his head
back in the general direction of
Kaiser. Neither man made eye contact
with Kaiser at this time.
At the end of the
concourse, Wilson and Rashon were met
by Wilson's wife and all three walked
outside to Wilson's car which was
parked at the curb. Rashon handed
the box he was carrying to Wilson,
who put it and the attache case in
the rear seat of the passenger
compartment. Rashon then went to the
baggage claim area to retrieve their
luggage.
A few minutes later, as
Rashon left the baggage claim area
with two pieces of luggage, Kaiser
and Frederick approached him.
7A
Frederick identified himself as a
police officer and had a brief
conversation with Rashon which Kaiser
apparently did not overhear.
Kaiser then approached
Wilson, who - according to Kaiser -
was then standing at the open trunk
of the car.! Kaiser testified that
at that point he “had a slight
suspicion” that Wilson “possibly” was
involved in criminal activity, and
that his purpose in speaking to
Wilson was to request permission to
search his luggage. Kaiser stated
that as he reached Wilson, he 3
displayed his police identification,
told him that he was a police officer
1 Wilson testified that when
Kaiser first approached him, he was
seated in the driver's seat of the
car and Kaiser leaned in through an
open rear door. ,
BA .
kaahe
and asked if he “might have a minute \
of his time.” When Wilson responded,
"Sure," Kaiser testified that "I
advised Mr. Wiison that I was
conducting a narcotics investigation,
and that we had received information
that he would be arriving today from
Florida carrying a lot of drugs."
(Italics added.)2
On cross-examination,
Kaiser disclosed that he had obtained
the information to which he referred
from his partner, Frederick, who, in
turn, had learned of it from another
person. On defense counsel's motion,
the court ruled that if the People
poy e
According to Wilson, Kaiser
“stated that he had received a call
from a young black man saying that I
would be arriving, and that I would
be carrying a large quantity of
narcotics.
1 ae il
intended to rely on such information
to justify the
{34 Cal.3d 782)
officer's actions, Frederick would be
required to testify as to the nature
and source of the information. (See,
e.g., People v. Madden (197U) 2
Cal.3d 1017, 1021 [88 Cal.Rptr. 171,
471 P.2d 971); Remers v. Superior
Court (1970) 2 Cal.3d 659, 666-667
{87 Cal.Rptr. 202, 470 P.2d 11);
People v. Harvey (1958) 156
Cal.App.2d 516, 523-524 (319 P.2d
689] (conc. opn. of Dooling, J. and
Draper, J.).) When the People
indicated that they did not intend to
cali Frederick as a witness, the
court held that the prosecution could
not rely on such information to
support the validity of the police
10A
conduct. The People have not )
challenged that ruling in this
proceeding. 3
After having told Wilson
that he had information that Wilson
was carrying "a lot of drugs,” Kaiser
asked if he could search the two
pieces of luggage that Rashon had
just set on the curb and the box
3 A question was raised at oral
argument as to whether the trial
court's ruling on the so-called
Pavey Magen issue was consistent
wit eral, as well as state, law.
The parties have not provided any
relevant authorities on the question,
and inasmuch as the People did not
raise any objection to the ruling
either at the suppression hearing or
in any of their papers filed in this
proceeding, we have no occasion to
address this academically intriguing
question in this case. (Cf.
v. (1978) 21 Cal.3a °
547- 146 Cal.Rptr. 732 579 P.2d
1048) (defendant may not raise
SERPS ortygteesttess J
ly preserved) .)
lla
: P . : ait ‘ «
_ -_ ee 8 i i, Rh ee i, i le ee. Py
which had been placed inside the car.
Wilson allegedly responded, “Sure, I
don't have any drugs that I know of.
Go ahead and search."4 When Kaiser
went to the rear passenger seat, he
Saw the attache case and asked Wilson
for permission to search it. Kaiser
testified that Wilson then said:
"There should only be some papers in
there, but you can go ahead and look,
if you'd like."5
4 Wilson testified that when he
was first approached by Kaiser, the
officer informed him that he had a
search warrant for his luggage.
Wilson stated that because he had an
important engagement and was very
pressed for time, he told his nephew
to cooperate with the search of the
luggage.
5 Wilson testified that when
Kaiser requested permission to search
the attache case, the following
colloquy occurred: “I said,'I would
prefer that you didn't.’ [4] And he
said, ‘Are you telling me that I
cannot search the attache case?’ [4]
12a
oa
‘
Wilson then placed the case
on the rear seat and opened it.
Kaiser searched through the case and
retrieved a glass vial from a pocket
on the inside of the lid of the
case. At that point, Wilson
allegedly stated: “That's just a
little bit of has oil in there."
After examining the bottle
and concluding that it did contain
1 said, ‘I would prefer that you
didn't.’ [4] He said, ‘Are you
refusing to allow me to search the
attache case?’ [4] And I said, ‘Sir,
I am telling you that I would prefer
that you didn't.' [4%] And he said, 'I
am not concerned if you're carrying
just a small stash for your personal
use. I'm only concerned with a large
quantity.’ [4] And he said, ‘I've
been to Hollywood parties where they
had cocaine on the tables by bowls,
and I did not make arrests.’ ... SO
then I - ... I said, ‘Since you put
it on those terms, okay.’ [4%] So I
turned around in the seat, and I
leaned over the back of the driver's
seat, and I opened the attache case
and I raised the lid."
13A
has oil, Kaiser asked Wilson “if he
would mind accompany me back to the
nar-
(34 Cal.3d 782]
cotics office situated at the
airport ...." Kaiser testified that
at that point Wilson was actually
under arrest, although Kaiser had not
so informed him. Wilson asked if
they could drive to the office in his
car so he could remove it from the
Street, and Kaiser agreed. At the
office, Kaiser continued his search
of the luggage and found another
small glass vial, containing a
substance resembling cocaine, inside
an eyeglass case in another pocket of
the attache case. Wilson was then
formally placed under arrest and
taken into custody.
144
i CNP ht ae Ce VORB ee ee
RA he Nats oe ee Reagent eT et
At the conclusion of the »
suppression hearing, defense counsel
argued that Wilson's testimony
indicated that he had not voluntarily
consented to the search as Kaiser
Claimed, but that even if Kaiser's
version of the events was accepted in
full, the evidence should still be
Suppressed because Kaiser's testimony
itself established that Wilson had
been detained without adequate
justification when the claimed
consent was given. Defense counsel
relied on both federal and state
authorities to support his illegal
detention claim, though he emphasized
the more recent state precedents. In ©
denying the motion, the trial court
stated: "The court is of the view,
that, one, this was not a detention; :
ISA
6 that the information - conduct of the
officer was sufficient to justify the
approach of a citizen on the street
in asking to talk to him with the
subsequent items that developed. [4]
Now, it may be that the court has
the wrong view of the law in espect
to that; but my reading of Tony C.
{In re Tony C. (1978) 21 Cal.3d 888)
and the cases that follow it are such |
that the court has made the ruling
that it has."
In this proceeding, Wilson
challenges the trial court ruling on
two alternative grounds, maintaining
that the court's conclusion is
e inconsistent with (1) the line of
California decisions emanating from
this courc's opinion in Tony C.,
een
and (2) recent decisions of the
1l6A
, . ; : , ; t - _ Ae
1x4 ee 3 ome eS . ae Mee a ERT On he ORY AO eI
ap. nc A ET Ee REE IN E TY e enry | were eee
United States Supreme Court applying
federal Fourth Amendment principles
in similar airport-search settings.
Since we conclude that Wilson's
federal constitutional claim is
dispositive, we address only that
issue.
II
A.
Wilson concedes that the
trial court could find on the basis
of Kaiser's testimony that he
consented to the search of his
attache case, a search which
Gisclosed the vial of hash oil and
resulted in his arrest. (la) He
contends, however, that even if
Kaiser's testimony is accepted at
face value, the evidence presented at
the hearing demonstrates, as a matter
17A
¢ of law, that at the time he consented
to the search he was under an illegal
detention in violation of the Fourth
Amendment. Accordingly, he maintains
that the evidence
{34 Cal.3d 764]
obtained as a result of that consent
must be suppressed as a fruit of an
illegal detention. In support of his
claim, Wilson relies on two recent
decisions of the United States
Supreme Court involving similar
airport searches and seizures, Reid
v. Georgia (1980) 448 U.S. 438 [65
L.Ed.2d 890, 100 S.Ct. 2752] and the
court's very recent decision in
@ Florida v. Royer (1983) --- U.S. ---
; [75 L.Ed.24 229, 103 S.Ct. 1319]. As
we explain, we conclude that Reid and | < %
Royer do support Wilson's claim.
> 184
Co nah Pav J ey a a en Ps RN NN dt a
BA Las ie we lta be byt | he ore pa owe alt a ta ae Sync ame Naka ee A a OL CM a ie AAS
In analyzing the federal
constitutional issue, Justice White's
lead opinion in Royer provides a
logical starting point.® In that
opinion, Justice White reviewed the
6 In Royer, four judges -Justices
White, Marshall, Powell and Stevens -
joined in Justice White's lead
Opinion, which reversed Royer's
conviction on the ground that his
consent to search his luggage had
been obtained as the result of an
illegal seizure which exceeded the
bounds of a permissible detention.
Justice Brennan filed a separate
opinion, concurring in the result but
disagreeing with some of the
reasoning of the lead opinion. The
four other judges dissented, with
Justice Rehnquist writing a
dissenting opinion joined by Chief
Justice Burger and Justice O'Connor,
and Justice Blackjmun writing his own
separate dissent.
Although the judges were
widely split on the of
federal constituti y pies to
the facts of » & close readi
of the ver nions suggests
the court is in general agreement as
to the overall Pourth Amendment
framework ised in Justice
White's opinion,
general Fourth Amendment framework
that governs the kind of warrantless,
investigatory activities that are
frequently undertaken by law
enforcement officers in an airport
setting. ( --- U.S. at p. --- [75
L.Ed.2d at pp. 233-239, 103 S.Ct. at
pp. 1323-1326].) (2) For purposes
of Fourth Amendment analysis, there
are basically three different
categories or levels of police
"contacts" or “interactions” with
individuals, ranging from the least
to the most intrusive. First, there
are what Justice White termed
"consensual encounters” (id. --- U.S.
at p. --- (75 L.Bd.2d at p. 243, 103
&.Ct. at p. 1329)), which are those
police-individual interactions which
result in no restraint of an
204
individual's liberty whatsoever
- i.e., no “seizure,” however minimal
- and which may properly be initiated
by police officers even if they lack
any “objective justification.” (Id.
--- U.S. at p. --- (75 L.Ed.2d at p.
236, 103 S.Ct. at p. 1324]).) Second,
there are what are commonly termed
“detention,” seizures of an
individual which are strictly limited
in duration, scope and purpose, and
which may be undertaken by the police
"if there is an articulable suspicion
that a person has committed or is
about to commit a crime." (Ibid.)
Third, and finally, there are those
seizures of an individual which
exceed the permissible limits of a
detention, seizures which include
formal arrests and restraints on an
21A
individual's liberty which are
comparable to an arrest, and which
are constitutionally permissible only
if the police have probable cause to
arrest the individual for a crime.
(Id. = U.S. at Pp. —— {75 L.Ed.2d
at p. 237, 103 S.Ct. at p. 1325).)
In this case, Wilson makes
no claim that at the time he
consented to the search of his
attache case he was subjected to
restraints which exceeded the
{34 Cal.3d 785]
permissible bounds of a detention.
(1b) Thus, the principal question
before us is simply whether the
police conduct which preceded
Wilson's consent involved only a
“consensual encounter” which the
police could undertake without
objective justification, or whether
it amounted to a "detention" which
would be permissible only if the
police had an objective, articulable
basis for suspecting Wilson of
criminal conduct. In this regard,
Wilson contend that the record
establishes, as a matter of law, that
(1) the prosecution failed to prove
the requisite “objective articulable
suspicion” to justify a detention,
and (2) he was, in fact, “detained.”
We turn first to the “articulable
suspicion" issue.
B.
As we have seen, at the
suppression hearing Detective Kaiser
described in considerable detail his
observations of Wilson and Rashon
which preceded his direct contact
23 A
ba, A
with Wilson. Of the facts related by
Kaiser, the only two circumstances
that might even plausibly be
proffered as a basis of an
"articulable suspicion” are (1)
Rashon's “eye contact” with Kaiser
upon first entering the arrival area
of the terminal, and (2) the act that
both Rashon and Wilson looked back in
Kaiser's general direction as they
walked down the concourse toward the
airport terminal exit. Wilson
contends that these circumstances,
singly or in combination, do not rise
to the level of an “objective,
articulable suspicion” so as to
justify even a limited detention
under Fourth Amendment principles.
The United States Supreme
Court's decision in Reid v. Georgia,
24A
Supra, while arising out of different
facts, directly supports Wilson's
claim. In Reid, an undercover
narcotics agent at the Atlanta
airport observed the defendant as he
acrived on an early morning flight
form Fort Lauderdale. As the
passengers left the plane and walked
down the airport concourse single
file, the agent saw the defendant
occasionally look back at a second
passenger who was separated from him
by several other passengers. When
the passengers reached the main lobby
of the terminal, the second man
caught up with the defendant, the two
talked briefly, and they then left
the terminal together.
The agent approached the
two men outside the building,
254A
| wt all
a ae a ye | Peet ek Ye Bee 2 hae
€ identified himself as a narcotics
agent and asked to see their airline
stubs and identification. The men
complied with the request. The
tickets revealed that they had both
been bought with defendant's credit
card and that the two men had been in
Fort Lauderdale for only one day. At
this point, the men appeared nervous
and the agent asked if they would
agree to return to the terminal and
consent to a search of their persons
and their bags. The agent testified
that the two agreed, but as they ‘
| returned inside the building, the
defendant ran, dis- |
|
¥ (34 Cal.3d 786) ;
’ carding his bag. He was quickly 4
: ih
apprehended and the bag turned out to _ ¥
contain cocaine.
264.
On these facts, the Georgia ©
Court of Appeal, relying on the
agent's testimony that the defendant
appeared to fit the airport's “drug
courier profile” in a number of
respects, held that the officer had
"reasonable suspicion" to approach
and detain the two men outside the
terminal building. Specifically, the
Georgia court found it relevant that
"(1) the (defendant) had arrived from
Fort Lauderdale, which the agent
testified is the principal place of
Origin of cocaine sold elsewhere in
the country, (2) the [defendant]
arcived in the early morning, when
law enforcement activity is r
diminished, (3) he and his companion ‘
appeared to the agent to be trying to
conceal the fact that they were *
274A
traveling together, and (4) they
apparently had no luggage other than
their shoulder bags." (448 U.S. at
p. 441 [65 L.Ed.2d at p. 894].)
In Reid, the United States
Supreme Court reversed the Georgia
decision, concluding “that the agent
could not, as matter of law, have
reasonably suspected the [defendant]
of criminal activity on the basis of
these observed circumstances.”
(Ibid.) The court reasoned: “Of the
evidence relied on, only the fact
that the [defendant] preceded another
person and occasionally looked
backward at him as they proceeded ie
through the concourse relates to ,
theic particular conduct. The other
circumstances described a very large is
category or presumably innocent :
travelers, who would be subject to
virtually random seizures were the
Court to conclude that as little
foundation as there was in this case
could justify a seizure. Nor can we
agree, on this record, that the
manner in which the [defendant] and
his companion walked through the
airport reasonably could have led the
agent to suspect them of wrongdoing.
Although there could, of course, be
circumstances in which wholly lawful
conduct might justify the suspicion
that criminal activity was afoot
[citation], this is not such a case.
The agent's belief that the
(defendant) and his companion were
attempting to conceal the fact that
they were traveling together, a
belief that was more an ‘inchoate and ,
unparticularized suspicion or
"“hunch"' [citation], than a fair
inference in the light of his
experience, is simply too slender a
reed to support the seizure in this
case.” (Ibid.)
This reasoning applies
equally to the present case. Indeed,
the facts before us appear, if
anything, even less supicious than
those in Reid. Aside from the brief
"eye contact” with Rashon - a reed at
least as “slender” as the agent's
suspicion in Reid - the officer did
not identify any circumstance which
would provide a reasonable basis for
Gistinguishing Wilson from the great
bulk of pessengurs arriving at the
Les Angeles International Airport.
a matter of law that the police did
not have an objective, articulable
basis to justify a detention of
Wilson. Ac-
{34 Cal.3d 787)
cordingly, the determinative issue is
whether at the time of his consent
Wilson was “detained” for Fourth
Amendment purpose or whether he was
simply engaged in a consensual
encounter,”
Cc.
Reid does not provide an
answer to the detention issue.
Although holding that the
circumstances known to the officer
before he approached the two suspects
did not rise to the level of
"articulable suspicion,” the Reid
court did not directly address the
ca
issue of whether the officer's
conduct amounted to a "detention" of
the suspects or, if it did, at what
point the detention had begun:
because the lower courts had
concluded that there was reasonable
suspicion to justify a detention,
they had not found it necessary to
decide whether or not the defendant
had been detained; the Supreme Court
~- while reversing on the reasonable
suspicion point - did not reach the
detention question, leaving the
initial resolution of that matter to
the state courts on remand. (See
Reid, supra, 448 U.S. at p. 443 [65
L.Ed.2d at p. 895] (conc. opn. of
Powell, J.).)7
Similarly, in Un
(1980) 4
, 100 S.Ct. 1870) -
While Reid thus does not
assist us in distinguishing
"consensual encounters” from
"detentions," the Supreme Court's
recent decision in Royer does afford
airport search case decided just two
weeks before Reid - the detention
issue had not been litigated in the
lower courts, apparently because the
prosecution had never contended that
the officer's conduct fell short of a
detention. Therefore, seven judges
of the Supreme Court resolved the
case on the assumption that a
detention had occurred. Of the
seven, three - Justices Powell,
Blackmun and the Chief Justice -found
that there was sufficient articulable
suspicion to justify a detention, and
four - Justices White, Brennan,
Marshall and Stevens - found that
there was not. The two remaining
judges - Justice Stewart and
Rehnquist - concluded that the
detention issue was not foreclosed
despite the prosecution's failure to
pursue it, and ~ without deciding the
reasonable suspicion question -
resolved the case in favor of the
prosecution on the ground that no
Getention had occurred. As a ronht;
the conviction in Mendenhall was
affirmed by a five-to-four margin.
33 A
a try Pt 8 a
Loo lap hater: ol OOS uit :
par a Ye Oe
considerable guidance on this point.
In Royer, two undercover narcotic
agents working at the Miami airport
testified that they first took note
of Royer because they believed that
his “appearance, mannerisms, luggage
and actions fit the so-called ‘drug
courier profile.'" (--- U.S. at p.
--- (75 L.Ed.2d at p. 233, 103 S.Ct.
at p. 1322).) As they observed him,
Royer purchased a one-way ticket to
New York and checked his two
suitcases, placing on each an
identification tag with the name
"Holt." As he walked along the
concourse toward the airline boarding
area, the two officers approached
him, identified themselves as
policemen working out of the
sheriff's office, and asked him if he
34a |
had a “moment” to speak with them.
He said, "Yes."
At the officers’ request,
Royer produced his airline ticket and
driver's license: the ticket - like
the baggage identification tags - was
made out in
[34 Cal.3d 788)
the name "Holt," while the driver's
license carried his correct name,
"Royer." When the officer asked
about discrepancy, Royer stated that
friend had made the reservation in
the name “Holt.” During this
conversation, Royer became noticeably
more nervous, and the officers then
informed him “that they were in fact
narcotics investigators and they had ‘a
reason to suspect him of transporting é
narcotics.” (Ibid.) At that point 4g
ty a
~
4 a
x > . «
~~ - , , R
re “Oy; oe ee ? =~.
the officers, who still had Royer's
aicline ticket and identification,
asked him to accompany them to a room
adjacent to the concourse, about 40
feet away.
Without saying anything,
Royer walked with the officer to the
small room - described as a “large
storage closet” - which contained a
desk and two chairs. Without seeking
Royer's consent, one of the officers
retrieved the luggage which Royer had
checked and brought it to the room.
Royer then was asked if he would
consent to a search of the suitcases.
In response, Royer produced a key
and unlocked one suitcase; an officer
opened it and found a substantial
quantity of marijuana. Royer then
consented to the search of the second
bag, in which, too, marijuana was 7
found. The entire episode - from the
time the officers first approached
Royer to their discovery of the
contraband - took about 15 minutes.
Before trial, Royer moved
to suppress the evidence on Fourth
Amendment grounds, the motion was
denied and he was convicted of felony
marijuana possession. On appeal, the
Florida Court of Appeal reversed the
conviction, holding (1) that the
police did not even have sufficient
information to constitute the
articulable suspicion required to
justify a limited detention and (2)
that, in any event, the police e
conduct which preceded the consent 4
exceeded the limited restraint
permitted in a detention contest.
37A
—_——<=—
—
The state then appealed that decision
to the United States Supreme Court.
In its decision in Royer,
the high court disagreed with the
Florida court on the “articulable
suspicion" issue® but upheld the
reversal of the convction on the
ground that the police had indeed
exceeded the boundg of a limited
8 In holding that there were
articulable grounds for suspicion,
the lead opinion in Royer stated:
"We agree with the State that when
the officers discovered that Royer
was traveling under an assumed name,
this fact, and the facts already
known to the officers - paying cash
for a one-way ticket, the mode of
checking the two bags, and Royer's
appearance and conduct in general -
were adequate grounds for suspecting
Royer of carrying drugs and for
temporarily detaining him and his
Luggese while they attempted to
verify oc dispel their suspicions in
@ manner that did not exceed the
limits of an investigative
detention." (--- u.8. at P- eee {75
er ee Se vow woes GOO 4
detention - that, before he had
consented to the search of his
luggage, “[a)s a practical matter,
Royer was under arrest." (--- U.S.
at p. --- [75 L.Ed.2d at p. 240, 103
S.Ct. at p. 1327].) Although the
ultimate holding in Royer thus turned
on an issue - the line between a
“detention” and an “arrest” - which
is not involved in this case, the
lead opinion in Royer
(34 Cal.3d 789)
contains several passages which shed
considerable light on the question
which is at issue here - namely, the
distinction between a “consensual
encounter" and a “detention."9
9 Although only four justices
signed Justice White's lead opinion
in Royer, Justice Blackmun though
dissenting on another issue,
expressly signaled his general
39A
COCs Gane. < : r
First, in summarizing
general Fourth Amendment principles,
the lead opinion describes some of ie
the more typical police actions that
| fall into the “consensual encounter"
) category. The opinion observes:
"|L) aw enforcement officers do not
violate the Fourth Amendment by merly
approaching an individual on the
street or in another public place, by
agreement with the lead opinion's
analysis of the “consensual
encounter"/"“detention" issue. (---
U.S. at Pp. ae. sare {75 L.Ed.2d at
$ P- 246-247, 103 S.Ct. at pp.
» 1332-1333].) Moreover, in his
rs concurring opinion, Justice Brennan
indicated that he would take a
narrower view of those police
activities that constituted
Fa, consensual encounters than that
bey expressed in the lead opinion. (Id.
a ee U.S. at Pp. = {75 L. 2d
ae at PP. 244-245, 103 §.Ct. at Pep.
a 1330-1331].) ‘Thus, it is evident
ha >. —_” -
a that the lead opinion's views as to :
b> the on consensual encounters .
aN a clearly enjoy majority support within ‘
e A
* ¢
+ oh
* a
~~ 4 -
A 40A ..
~
- .
ve i she - 3 ; 1 aa “he
=k + : , : : - *
=) n “— : o —. aS vas re a
cs
asking him if he is willing to answer @
some questions, by putting questions
to him if the person is willing to
listen, or by offering in evidence in
a criminal prosecution his voluntary
answer to such questions.
[Citations.}] Nor would the fact that
the officer identifies himself as a
police officer, without more, convert
the encounter into a seizure
requiring some level of objective
" justification. {[Citation.] The
\, person approached, however, need not
a answer any question put to him;
indeed, he may decline to listen to :
the questions at all and may go on
-* his way. ([Citations.) He may not be )
fF detained even momentarily without
reasonable, objective grounds for Bs
as doing so; and his refusal to listen e
Sane
Or answer does not, without more,
furnish those grounds. [Citation.]
if there is no detention - no seizure
within the meaning of the Fourth
Amendment - then no constitutional
rights have been infringed." (---
U.S. at p. --- (75 L.Ed.2d at p. 236,
103 S.Ct. at p. 1324].)
Though this passage gives
some indication of the attributes of
a consensual encounter, it does not
in itself set forth a clear
constitutional standard for
distinguishing such an encounter from
a detention. That additional
guidance is provided in a subsequent
passage, where the ‘lead opinion, in
rejecting the state's contention that
the “entire encounter was
consensual,” states: “Asking for and
42 A
4
‘y rm
4
examining Royer's ticket were no
doubt permissible in themselves, but
when the officers identified
themselves as narcotics agents, told
Royer that he was suspected of
transporting narcotics, and asked him
to accompany them to the police room,
while retaining his ticket and
driver's license and without
indicating in any way that he was
free to depart, Royer was effectively
seized for the purpose of the Fourth
Amendment. These circumstances
surely amount to a show of official
authority such that ‘a reasonable
person would have believed that he
fr ° ave.’
[34 Cal.3d 790)
United States v. Mendenhall, 446
U.S. 544, 554 (Opinion of Stewart,
J.)." (Italics added.) (--- U.S. at
p. --- [75 L.Ed.2d at p. 239, 103
S.Ct. at p. 1326].)
(3) In light of the
emphasized language and the citation
of Mendenhall, it is now clear that
a substantial majority - and perhaps
all - of the Supreme Court justices
agree with the standard set forth by
Justice Stewart in his separate a
opinion in that case: "“[A] person a
has been ‘seized’ within the meaning 4
of the Fourth Amendment only if, in :
view of all the circumstances
surrounding the incident, a
sesechabhe person would have believed
he *
that he was not free to leave.*10
10 ~ Six menbers of the present court a
es either pespeces or youn? = a
nions expl t endorsing #
ogo fe Fl Justices white, Fs
. and Stevens signed “4
(United States v. Mendenhall, supra, >
446 U.S. at p. 554 [64 L.Ed.2d at p.
509].) (lc) Thus, the question
before us is whether, at the time
Wilson consented to the search of his
attache case, a reasonable person in
Wilson's position would have believed
the lead opinion in Royer; Justice
Blackmun expressly approved that
standard in his dissent in Royer (---
U.S. at p. --- (75 L.Ed.2d at p. 246,
103 S.Ct. at p. 1332]); and Justice
Rehnquist joined in the relevant
portion of Justice Stewart's opinion
in Mendenhall itself. Of the three
remaining justices, Chief Justice
Burger joined Justice Powell's
concurring opinion in Reid, which -
at the least - strongly hinted at its
approval of the Mendenhall test (448
U.S. at p. 443 (65 L.Edi2d at p.
895])), and Justice Brennan appears to
have applied the mepdenna standard
in his discussion o etention
issue in his concurring opinion in
ee (--- U.S. at p. --- [75
24 at p. 245, 103 &.Ct. at _
1331).) ly Justice O*Connor, who
was not on court when
and were decided, has
her views on the issue.
45a =
‘ toh Tee ee ’ . \ a . pa tll te pie lll ga) e : om ‘ i ae eae
that he was not free to leave.
Reviewing the facts of this
case in light of this standard and
the relevant portions of Royer, it is
evident that Detective Kaiser did not
detain Wilson, for federal
constitutional purposes, merely by
approaching him, identifying himself
as a police officer, and asking if he
might have a minute of his time. At
that point, however, the officer did
not simply ask Wilson if he would
permit a search of his luggage.
Instead, he advised Wilson that he
was conducting a narcotics
investigation and that he “had
received information that he [Wilson]
would be arriving today from Florida
carrying a lot of drugs.” (Italics
added.)
Common sense suggest to us
that in such a situation, an ordinary
citizen, confronted by a narcotics
agent who has just told him that he
has information that the citizen is
carrying a lot of drugs, would not
feel at liberty simply to walk away
fron the officer. Before Kaiser made
that statement, Wilson might well
have thought that the officer was
simply pursuing routine, general
investigatory activities, and might
reasonably have felt free to explain
to
the officer that he had an
important appointment to keep and did
not have the time - or, perhaps, the
inclination - to answer the officer's
ques-
{34 Cal.3d 791)
tions or to comply with his request
47A
a Le Bin Oe J Pm 4 1 Se
‘Yate Sallis ns ees We! ee ey i ae ee ate ¢
‘ot
for permission to search. Once the
officer advised Wilson that he had
information that Wilson was carrying
a lot of drugs, the entire complexion
of the encounter changed and Wilson
could not help but understand that at
that point he was the focus of the
officer's particularized suspicion.
Under these circumstances - and
particularly in the absence of any
clarifying advice from the officer
explaining to Wilson that he was, in
fact, free to drive away if he
desired - no reasonable person would
have believed that he was free to
leave. (See United States v. Berry
(Sth Cir. 1982) 670 F.2d 583, 597;
United States v. Robinson (Sth Cir.
48 A
LL an LT TS CPR ee MS te Comma ae
1980) 625 F.2d 1211, 1216-1217.) 11
1l One commentator - in a
thoughtful article on the general
"seizure" question - has made this
same point: “The nature of the
questions asked by the officer during
an encounter also may be relevant to
the seizure issue. As questioning
moves from general questioning
concerning facts unrelated to a
particular crime or class of crimes
to questions indicating the officer's
interest in a specific crime or class
of crimes, the perception of the
citizen reasonably may change from
one of a voluntary encounter, from
which he is free to disengage, to one
of a formal police investigation of
specific criminal activity, which he
is not free to ignore. ... In the
absence of actual physical restraints
or unequivocal verbal commands, a
reasonable person examining the
conduct of the officer is more likely
to view the circumstances as a
seizure when the conduct or verbal
activities of the police become more
intrusive, that is, when they clearly
are related to the investigation of
specific criminal acts. It is the
threat of arrest and prosecution that
produced the ee ion of cestricted
liberty in a itizen
encounter, Nast perception is
more likely to arise when conduct
the police is linked to the
"wR Arh +.
Accordingly, we conclude
that Wilson was detained, within the
meaning of the Fourth Amendment, when
he consented to the search of his
attache case. Of course, if - as
Detective Kaiser represented - the
police did in fact have additional
information indicating that Wilson
would be transporting narcotics, that
information might well have provided
a reasonable basis for the detention,
in which case Wilson's consent would
have been validly obtained. As we
have explained, however, the
prosecution - despite fair warning -
failed to present the relevant
testimony to substantiate the alleged
information. On this record, we can
>
only conclude that the police
detained W'lson in violation of the
Fourth Amendment, and that the trial
court erred in failing to suppress
the evidence obtained as a result of
that illegal detention,}2
12 Although the People have not
expressly conceded the point, they
have not argued that the evidence
should not be suppressed even if
Wilson was illegally detained, on the
theory that the evidence was not the
"product" of the illegal detention.
Since Wilson's consent followed
within minutes of the detention, and
since there were no intervening
circumstances whatsoever, — a
claim would, in any event,
untenable. (See 8
aia or wed ts’ in at p.
9, 1 §.Ct. - p. 1326); n
ve f (i999) 462 0.8. SOO
216- L.Bd.24 624, 838-839, 99
s.Ct. 2248); v. .
(i975) 422, Ube eB0, 6OTSeOS Tas )
L.84.24 416, 425-426, 95 8.Ct. of
.
S1A —
0 iain : : a ~~ a
| :
aah 7
“
“7
[34 Cal.3d 792)
Let a peremptory writ of
mandate issue, directing the trial
court to vacate its order denying the
motion to suppress and to enter a new
order granting the motion.
Bird, C. J., Mosk, J.,
Richardson, J., Broussard, J.,
Reynoso, J., and Grodin, J.,
concurred.
EXHIBIT B
bi
a ak) ee
[Civ. No. 64102. Second Dist., Div. One.
July 23, 1982.
CLEROW fog Petitioner, v.
THE SUPERIOR COURT OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY,
Respondent;
THE PEOPLE, Real Party in Interest.
OPINION
HANSON (Taxton), J.--
Tntroduction
Petitioner/defendant Clerow Wilson
aka Flip Wilson (hereinafter defendant
and/or Wilson) seeks a peremptory writ
mandating respondent court to vacite its
ruling denying his motion pursuant to
Penal Code section 1538.5 (hereinafter
section 1538.5) to exclude as evidence
contraband (hashish oil and cocaine)
found in his attache case at the Los —
Angeles International Airport after he
deplaned from a flight from Miami,
Florida.
The deterainative issue of this case
i
is whether or not defendant Wilson was
improperly initially subjected to a
"detention" at the airport in violation of
his "Fourth Amendment" rights as referred
to in the federal Constitution and the
parallel provision in California's :
Constitution guaranteeing against unreason- :
able "seizures." .
Superimposed on the determinative
issue, and of no little significance, is a.
our duty to determine the effect on this
:
-case, if any, of the passage on June 8, ° :
1982, of Proposition 8 entitled "Criminal ;
Justice--Initiative Statutes and Consti- 3
tutional Amendment" now enacted in article 4
I, section 28, of the California Constitu-
tion commonly referred to as the "Victims'
Bill of Rights," (hereinafter Proposition
8) and specifically section 28, subdivi-
sion (d), of the initiative entitled
S
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Truth-in-Evidence provision). Proposition
8 became effective on June 9, 1982, while
the instant case was pending before this
court. |
Procedural History
Qn April 30,_1981, defendant Wilson
was charged in a two-count information
with possession of cocaine in violation of
Health and Safety Code section 11350, a
felony (count I) and possession of hashish
011 (concentrated cannabis) in violation
of Health and Safety Code section 11357,
subdivision (a), a felony (count II).
On May 13, 1981, the defendant pled
not guilty and made a motion pursuant to
section 1538.5 to exclude as evidence the
narcotics found in his possession.
Qn October 16, 29 and 30, 1961,
defendant's motion to suppress the
evidence was heard and denied.
Qn November 30, 1961, defendant
«$9 hoe
a ee
filed with this court a "Petition For Writ
of Prohibition (Stay) and Writ of Mandate"
seeking to have the superior court's rul-
ing on this motion annulled and vacated.
Qn January 22, 1962, this court
summarily denied the petition (per Lillie,
Acting P. J., and Hanson, J.; with
Dalsimer, J., voting to grant the petition).
Qn February 1, 1982, defendant Wilson
filed a "Petition in the Alternative for
- Writ of Mandate and/or Writ of Prohibition"
with the California State Supreme Court
essentially containing the same supporting
documentation previously supplied this
Court of Appeal.
Qn February 18, 1962, the state
Supreme Court made the following order:
"Petition for hearing GRANTED. The
matter is transferred to this court and
retransferred to the Court of Appeal,
Second District, Division One, with.
directions to issue an alternative writ to
be heard. before that court when the pro-
ceeding is ordered on calendar. (See People
v. Bower, 24 Cal.3d 638, 643, and In re
Tony C., 21 Cal.3d 888, 895-896. )"
Qn March 26, 1962, this court in
compliance with the above order issued an
"Alternative Writ of Mandate," and the
matter was heard on May 25, 1962, and
submitted. ,
On June 8, 1982, before our decision
was rendered, the California electorate
passed Proposition 8 containing the "Right
to Truth-in-Evidence" provision (§ 28(d))
which became effective on June 9, 1982.
Qm July 1, 1962, after first vacating
the May 25, 1962, submission order and
receiving and considering supplementary
written briefs from counsel limited to
the issue of the effect, if any, of the
passage of Proposition 8 upon issues
‘relevant to this case, this court heard —
additional oral argument’ and resubmitted
the matter. Amicus curiae briefs were
invited, received and considered from the
offices of both the state Attorney General s
and the State Public Defender, and
representatives from those offices were
granted permission, and did, orally argue
their respective positions at the hearing.
Facts
(1) We view the evidence in the light
most favorable to the order denying
suppression as required by the familiar
rule governing appellate review. (People
v. Leyba (1981) 29 Cal.3d 591 [174 Cal.
Rptr. 867, 629 P.2d 961).)
Defendant Wilson's motion to suppress
evidence was ‘hotly contested during a
three-day hearing in the superior court. . _ 2
(Hon. Edward A. Hinz, judge presiding. )
At the hearing, Officer Roy (Roi)
Kaiser of the Police Department of the
| «.) ee ~ et eee
~ . y er
City of Los Angeles assigned to the
narcotics division testified that he had
been a narcotics officer for about ten
years engaged exclusively in major drug
peddling suppression within the City of
Los Angeles, and that for approximately
four and one-half years he had been
specifically assigned to the Los Angeles
International Airport Narcotics Bureau.
Officer Kaiser stated that he had partici-
pated in excess of a thousand narcotics |
investigations and made hundreds: of
arrests of persons involved in violation
of the state and federal narcotics laws;
that he had lectured extensively across
the United States at various drug
enforcement agency seminars; and that he
had testified as an expert in both state
and federal courts across the United
States.
Officer Kaiser testified that on
March 10, 1961, at approximately 11:30 or
11:45 a.m., while at the Satellite area of
Pan American Airlines at the Los Angeles
International Airport and dressed in cas-
ual street attire, he observed defendant
Wilson deplaning carrying an attache case.
The defendant was accompanied by another
black male person (established as defend-
ant's nephew Rashon Wilson) who was carry-
ing a box that had the name "Flip Wilson"
written on it. Officer Kaiser, whose
duty was to monitor in a general fashion
in-bound Florida flights on a daily basis,
did not expect defendant Wilson to get 3
off on that particular airplane but had
prior information that he (Wilson) might
be arriving on a flight from Florida on
\
that date.
ig
///
Officer Kaiser monitored the movement
of the defendant and Rashon Wilson and
"observed the two of them to be looking
e about inside the arrival area," and that
on at least two specific occasions Rashon
Wilson made eye contact with him (Officer
Kaiser) in the arrival area. Officer
Kaiser testified that in the past such
behavior, eye contact and looking about
after deplaning these flights, was
engaged in by other persons he had arrest-
ed for transporting narcotics. (On cross-
examination the officer testified that the
specific type of eye contact he had with
4 Rashon Wilson was similar to the eye
contact he had with others who were drug
carriers.)
Officer Kaiser walked behind the
defendant and his companion down the : ‘
escalator into the concourse to the :
terminal building. About midway in the \
concourse, the officer observed Rashon
Wilson look to his rear in the officer's
general direction, then immediately turn
and appear to speak to defendant Wilson
who also looked back in the officer's
general direction.
Officer Kaiser followed the two to
the end of the conclurse where they met
defendant's wife, Mrs. Wilson. The three
then walked out onto the sidewalk in front ~—
of the terminal building where Rashon Wilson
handed the defendant the box Rashon Wilson
was carrying. Defendant then went to the
curb and placed the attache case he was
carrying and the box handed to him in the
rear passenger section of a vehicle parked
at the curb. He and Mrs. Wilson entered
the vehicle.
_ Officer Kaiser observed Rashon Wilson
converse with the occupants inside the
vehicle and then go to the baggage room
of Pan American es “Officer Kaiser
followed Rashon Wilson to the baggage
~
room and saw him get two pieces of luggage
off the rack, exit the baggage room and
walk in the direction of the vehicle at
the curb. At the same time Officer
Kaiser saw his partner, Officer Gary
Frederick of the Los Angeles Sheriff's
Department, approach Rashon Wilson and
have a conversation with him. Officer
Kaiser did not enter into this conversa-
tion. The three then walked back to the
vehicle parked at the curb.
‘When Officer Kaiser arrived back at
the vehicle, he observed defendant Wilson
standing at the rear of the vehicle by
the open trunk. Officer Kaiser told the
defendant he was a police officer and
produced police identification. The
officer then asked defendant Wilson if he
"might have e minute of his time” to which
the defendant replied, "Sure." The
officer then advised the defendant that
he was conducting a narcotics investigation
and that information had been received
that he (defendant Wilson) would be
arriving from Florida carrying a lot of
drugs and asked if he (Officer Kaiser)
could search the luggage at the curb and
the box inside the vehicle. Defendant
Wilson said "Sure. I don't have any drugs
that I know of. Go ahead and search."
As Officer Kaiser was about to
remove the box from inside the rear
passenger section of thé vehicle, he again
noticed the attache case and asked
defendant Wilson if he could also search
the attache case. Defendant Wilson
replied: "There should only be some
papers in there. But you can go ahead
and look if you like." oo
Defendant Wilson placed the attache :
case on the rear seat of the vehicle and
opened it himself in the officer's view.
Officer Kaiser searched the attache case
and found a glass vial of oi] in a pocket
in the lid of the case containing a "dark
tarry-type substance" which appeared to
be hashish oil. Upon observing this,
defendant Wilson said "That's just a
little bit of hash oil in there."
Officer Kaiser then asked the
defendant if "he would mind accompanying
{him} back to [his] narcotics office
situated there at the airport" and defend-
ant stated "he would." The defendant |
asked if they could all go in his car and
the officer agreed. The defendant drove
his car to the airport narcotics office
accompanied by his two companions and the
two narcotics officers. At the office a
continued search of the attaché case
disclosed an eyeglass case containing a
glass vial resembling cocaine.*
(Footnote continued on next page. ) 5
~~
(Footnote continued from previous page.)
1. The reporter's transcript of the
hear on defendant's motion to suppress
as evidence the hashish oil and cocaine
found in the defendant's attaché case
contained the following colloquy on direct
examination of Officer Kaiser by the »
prosecut attorney, Mr. Jenkins:
"Q. (Mr. Jenkins) What happened
next?
"A. Upon arriving at the vehicle,
the defendant Mr. Wilson was standing at
the rear of the vehicle by an open trunk
of the vehicle.
"Q. What happened next?
"A. I approached Mr. Wilson, and I
displayed police identification to hin.
I told him I was a police officer; and I
ran him if I might have a minute of his
e.
"Q. What did he say?
"A. He stated ‘Sure.’
"Q. What happened next?
"A. At this e, I advised Mr.
Wilson that I was conduct a narcotics
red evens eames and that we had received
today Aten Pistide Garryiie 8 100 of true
rom Flor carry a lot o Ss.
And : asked Mr. Wilson if he--
"MR. MOORE: Objection to the use of
the term 'we.' Move to strike.
"THE COURT: Well, that part may be
stricken. .. .
"Q. BY MR. JENKINS: What hapyened
after you advised Mr. Wilson that you had
information he was carrying a large |
quantity of drugs? r
"A. I asked Mr. Wilson if I could
search his 1 that was there at the
curb, and also the box that I had obs
him place inside the vehicle. (Continued
(Continued from previous page. )
"Q.. What did he answer?
"A. He stated, 'Sure.' And he said,
'I don't have any drugs that I know of.
. Go ahead and search'.
e "Q. What happened next?
% "A. At this time, I walked with Mr.
. Wilson to the--around the vehicle. Mr.
Wilson went to the one side of the vehicle;
and I went to the other. And, as he was
about to remove the box from inside the
rear passenger section of the vehicle, I
noted — the attache case and at this
point, sked Mr. Wilson if I could also
search the attache case.
"Q. And did he answer that question?
"A. Yes,. he did.
"Q. What did he say?
"A. He stated, 'There should only
be rs ers in there. But you can go
ahead and et if you'd like.'
"Q. ened next?
"A ee thie e, he placed the
attache case on the rear seat of the :
vehicle. He opened the attachd case,
Yt ioe what was in there, in my view.
conducted a search of the attaché case.
"Q. Tell us what you did.
"A. I withdraw [sic] from the lid
portion, a pocket area of the attaché
case, a glass vial; and upon holding it
nyo. Did Me. Wile
° ° on say at
that time? ngchy ge
"A. Yes, he did.
"Q. What did he say?
"A. He stated, ‘That's just a little
bit of hash oil in there.'
"Q. Did you investigate that
oo = further?
To be con
i j
"
. < ) d a <i , bios ef > ay .
‘ ee eR ae ee ey AT
tut
(Continued)
"A. I did.
"Q. What did you do?
oving the Tid cap.” £ looked at
rem e cap. a .
substance inside, which appeared to be a
dark -type substance. I also smelled
at the substance, and in inion it
appeared to be that of hash oil.
"Q. What happened at that point?
"A. At this point, I asked Mr.
Wilson if he would mind soocnpesy ane me
back to my narcotics office situated there
at the airport; and he stated he would.
"Q. t happened at that point?
"A. At this point, I asked Mr.
Wilson if he would mind oro s me
back to my narcotics office situa there
at the airport; and he stated he would.
"Q. : t ened next?
"A. At this Mr. Wilson asked
me if it would be all right if we would
take his car and ride over there together
in his car, so he could get it off the
street.
"Q. Did you agree to that?
"A. I did.
"Q. And wh t in the car?
"A. I got into the rear portion of
the vehicle; my er also got into the
rear portion of the vehicle. Mr. Wilson
was driving. The woman was also in the
front passenger section of the vehicle.
And the other individual, the other male
person, was in the back seat, as I recall,
with partner.
"a, And did you go over to the nar-
cotics office?
9a; ase hoes t there, did
Me! en you
(To be continued. ) ne: : —_
On cross-examination by defense
counsel, Officer Kaiser stated that the
first time he spoke to the defendant he
had a slight suspicion that the defendant
was possibly involved in criminal conduct;
that his purp»%se in speaking to the
defendant was to request permission to
search his luggage; that he did not advise
the defendant that he did not have to .
consent to the search; and that at the
time he first approached the defendant he
and Rashon Wilson were in close proximity.
(Footnote continued from previous page.)
continue york snarel of the attache case?
A. .
"Q. Did you find anything else?
i "A. Yes, I did.
» “"Q. What else did you find?
"A. I discovered inside an eyeglass
case that was inside the attache case.
The eyeglass case contained a glass vial.
Inside the glass vial appeared to be a
white powdery substance, which, in my
opinion, resembled that of cocaine.
"Q. Did retain both of those
items, the hash oil and the apparent co-
caine?
"A. I did."
17B
Mrs. Wilson was in the right front seat
and Rashon Wilson was on the sidewalk.
Officer Kaiser denied that before looking
in the attache case he told the defendant
that he was not interested in a small
amount of contraband for personal use as
he was only looking for a larger quantity.
Following the direct and cross-
examination of Officer Kaiser and argument
2
in respect to a detention, the issue was
submitted to the court for a ruling and
the trial court denied the motion.
2. Ofticer kaiser testified that
after he found the vial with hashish oil
the defendant was not free to go and was
technically under arrest; al » that
was not commmicated to him. Defendant
was told he was under arrest when the
other contraband (cocaine) was found while
in big airport office. sett ot te
‘ reporter's transcr °
hearing on the motion to suppress the
evidence shows that at this point of the
roceedings the court, after Officer
ser testified but before defendant
Wilson took the stand, stated:
"The motion to dismiss--and to
suppress the evidence is denied at this
(Continued)
185 .
pe . 4 .
aa ie = }
Sy eee So Onee | ~ .
Subsequent to the above ruling by the
court, defendant Wilson took the witness
stand and testified in his own behalf.”
(Footnote continued. )
point.
"The court is of the view that there
is sufficient evidence before the court
at this time that indicates that the
officer approached the defendant and
asked if he could speak--was not physically
detaining him; and, based on the testimony
I have heard, the defendant was more than
will to discuss the matter with hin.
« a consent search was obtained.
"So, the motion by defense counsel
at this point is denied.
"MR. MOORE [Defense Counsel]: Your
Honor, with respect--may I t inquire
conce the standard that I argued to
the court? The ose-— |
"THE COURT: e court finds that the ¢
conduct of the officer is consistent with |
the r ements of the law as laid down
probably most recently by the California
Supreme Court in the Tony C. case, which F
I'm thoroughly familiar with.
"MR. M : Thank you." “fi
4. Defendant Wilson on direct P
examination by his counsel testified
substantially as follows: That on March
10, 1981, he arrived on a flight from
Miami; that he walked down the concourse
with his nephew, Rashon Wilson, and
encountered his wife who met them at the
front of the airport; that Rashon Wilson
was carry a large box which contained
(Continued
19B
(Footnote continued. )
a Milifiori lamp which defendant had
purchased in an antique shop in Florida;
that Rashon Wilson was also carrying a
Virginia ham and defendant's attache
case; that he gave the claim checks to
Rashon Wilson, went to the car, placed the
box in the car, put the ham in the trunk,
and put the attaché case into the car; that
he then saw Officer Kaiser at the right
front door of the car and heard Rashon
Wilson say that the officer had a search
warrant to search his bags; that Officer
Kaiser then said he had a search warrant
to search the bags and told him that he
(Officer Kaiser) had received a call from
@ young black man saying that defendant
Wilson would be arri and would be
carrying a large tity of narcotics;
that he (def Wilson) replied that
that was absurd, he was a professional
entertainer and not a narcotics dealer and
told Officer Kaiser that he was pressed
for time and had to rush home because he
had an gages to meet Mayor Bradley;
that he then instructed Rashon Wilson to
cooperate with the police; that the police
then proceeded to search his black piece
of 1 e which was on the at the
rear right door of the car; t then
Officer Kaiser leaned back in and asked if
he could search the attache case and he
(defendant Wilson) said that he would .
ug @e
Neither Mrs. Wilson nor Rashon Wilson,
who were present and apparently had
knowledge as to what transpired, were
(Footnote continued from previous pag -)
arrests; that defendant responded t
since the officer put it in those terms,
he could search. .
Defendant Wilson further stated that
he personally leaned over the back seat,
opened the attache case and raised the
lid, picked up the bottle of hashish and
showed. the officer the cocaine; that
Officer Kaiser then said he had to place
him under arrest; and that. they all went
over to the police station where the
officer’ searched the box. Defendant
further testified that he gave the officers
ermission to search the attache case
ecause they had stated they were not
concerned whether he was carrying something
that was only for his own personal use but
— neon about a aoe anon gga
eard he was carry a e quantity.
Defendant testified t a never asked
to see the search warrant nor did the
officer represent that he had a search
warrant for the attache case.
On cross-examination by the eae tl
Called as witnesses by the defense.
Following additional argument by counsel,
the court again ruled that Officer Kaiser's
conduct did not constitute a detention and T
denied defendant's motion to suppress
under section 1538.5.°
. 5. whe reporter's transcript con-
tains the following statement by the trial
court; "THE COURT: All right. [] Thank
you. fe) The court being advised in the
matter, having heard the testimony of the
witnesses, having had the benefit of the
moving papers, and having heard the argu-
ment of counsel, of course, the testimony
which extended over two days--a week ago
last Friday and yesterday-~the court
being advised in our matter, orders that
the motion er Penal Code section 1538.5
be denied. |%) The court is of the view
that, one, s was not a detention; that it
the information--conduct of the officer
was sufficient to omece ed the approach of
a citizen on the street and a to
talk to him with the subs ti that
Geveneped. {@] Now, it may that the
Arges view of the law in
)
a
i
t
\
es 8 ot) AAP i el ae we iin. BD ee 9
(2) (See fn. 6.) me determinative
issue is not whether Officer Kaiser
suspected defendant Wilson of criminal
activity, but whether defendant Wilson j
subjected to a detention in the first ;
instance at his vehicle in front of the
Los Angeles International Airport which j
vidlated his constitutional guarantees __ |
against unreasonable "seizures" within the
meaning of the Fourth Amendment to the :
United States Constitution and its parallel
provisions in article I, section 13, of
the California Constitution as construed
by federal and state decisional law.© 5
6. The issue as to whether or not
defendant Wilson voluntarily consented to
the search of his attache case where the
cocaine and hashish oil were found as
encompassed in the issues raised at the
defendant's motion to ss before the
trial court. The record cates that
Tosteonl trial epatr favored the credibility of
238
- ‘. a
eee
(Footnote continued from ae page.)
the testimony of Officer ser over that
of defendant Wilson even though the de-
fendant testified that he personally
opened his own attache case with reserva-
tions. (See fn. 4, oJ
The law is well settled on the role
of a reviewing court in respect to ruling
on a voluntariness of consent issue.
"The question of the voluntariness of the
consent is to be determined in the first
instance the trier of fact; and in that
stage of the process, determined in the
first instance by the trier of fact; and
_in that stage of the process, i
'The power to judge credibility of wit-
nesses, resolve conflicts in testimony,
weigh evidence and draw factual inferences,
is vested in the trial court. On appeal
all presumptions favor proper exercise of
that gag and the trial court's findings
~-whether express or implied--must be _
upheld if rted by substantial
a Pe .
eit) COB CPR SEY a
: - 617, 530 P.2d 585}; accord
1976) 1 690, 701
1:Rp 3 one Pe2d 353] )" (Peo-
. . 5 19 . 98 "07
also ; (1980) 112 -App.
3d 106s 1815 (Teg tei Rper. 742).
There is ample evidence in the
instant case to support the trial court's |
finding as to the voluntariness of ee
defendant Wilson's consent to s his 4
attache case. In event the voluntari- P
ness of defendant Wilson's consent to
search his attache case has not been
raised or pressed in proceedings before
this court.
248
However, the passage of Proposition
8 by the California electorate on June 8,
| 1982, which became effective on Jume 9,
* 1982, while the case at bench was still
| pending decision, has presented the
important issue of the impact and effect,
|
’
:
if any, of Proposition 8 upon the resolu-
tion of the detention issue.
Defendant's counsel in his supple- :
mentary brief, augmented by the State
Public Defender in his amici brief and at
oral argument, contends (1) that ‘Broposi~
tion 8 is unconstitutional in its entirety
because it (a) was voted on within less
than 131 days of its qualification for the R.
ballot and was not passed at a "general
election" as required by the California
Constitution, (b) violates "the Single- om
subject Rule," and (c) is a constitutional E
revision and not merely an amendment to
- the California State Constitution thereby
ae —, © eee &- tn ‘em
requiring a constitutional convention; (2)
that in the event Proposition 8 is held to
be constitutional, section 28, subdivision
(a), the Truth-in-Evidence provision can
only be applied prospectively in this case,
and that if the Truth-in-Evidence provision
were to be applied retroactively there
would be a denial of equal protection and
due process of laws and a violation of the
proscription against ex post facto laws.
The district attorney's office and
the state Attorney General's office in
briefs and at oral argument assert that
Proposition 8 is constitutional; that the
Truth-in-Evidence provision applies
retroactively; that defendant Wilson is
not denied equal protection or due process
of law; and that the proscription against
ex post facto laws is inapplicable..
Be ab
///
26B
I
Background
The state Supreme Court in retrans-
ferring the instant case back to this
court to issue an alternative writ, to
conduct a hearing and write an opinion,
directed our attention to the California
Supreme Court cases of People v. Bower
(1979) 24 Cal.34 638 [156 Cal.Rptr: 856,
597 P.2d 115] and In re Tony C. (1978)
21 Cal.34 888 [148 Cal.Rptr. 366, 562 P.
2d 957], which involve the exclusion of
relevant evidence.
The Truth-in-Evidence provision of
Proposition 8 provides, with certain
exceptions, that "Relevant Evidence Shall
Not Be Excluded in eny Criminal Proceed-
ing." We are.compelled to address the
cemstitutional issues of Proposition 8
|
and the retroactivity issue of the Truth-
in-Evidence provisions raised by the
defendant before considering whether
Bower and In re Tony C. are controlling.
This is so because those cases, as well as
section 1538.5! pursuant to which
defendant Wilson made his motion to sup-
press in the superior court, contain
California case and code law which sanc-
tions the exclusion of relevant evidence
in criminal proceedings thereby colliding
with the plein language of the Truth-in-
Evidence provision of Proposition 8.
7. Section 1538.5, subdivision ta
(1), and subdivision ( (a} rovides: "(a
A defendant may move for the return of
property or to suppress as evidence any
tangible or intangible thing ody ge oat
a result of a search. or sated}
of the following wens:
search or seizure
It ;
A. Wi ° on 8c tu
eligible for the June primary ballot? Yes.
(3) The defendant first asserts that
Proposition 8 was not constitutionally
eligible to be placed on the June primary
ballot because it violated article II,
section 8, subdivision (c) of the Califor-
nia Constitution® in that the election was
“8. ornia Cons on, cle
II, section 8, subdivision (c) provides:
"The Secre of State shall submit the
[initiative] measure at the next general
election held at least 131 days rit
qualified at any special statewide
election heid prior to a general election.
The governor may call a special statewide
oth for the measure." (Italics
a °
tion: "I, Bdmund G. Brown, Jr.,
of the State of California,
to Section 2553 of the Elections
» hereby proclain t the Statewide
day of June, 1962, at ¥
;
ve
(Footnote continued from previous e.)
such election. Also, the following ©
measures proposed by the Legislature,
bose igh rant with four initiative measures
pores cil progr © measures will be
e ied voters of th
State on that ae .
“PRrorosiTion | THE NEW PRISON BOND ACT OF 198!
- CHAPTER 273, STATUTES OF 1981.
- “Prorasirian 2 PRESIDENT OF SENATE. LEGISLATIVE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
“Proranirion 3 TAXATION. REAL PROPERTY VALUATION..
CHANGE IN OWNERSHIP. LEGISLATIVE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
“PROPOSITION 4 BAIL. LEGISLATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT. ;
**Prorasrrion $ GIFT AND INHERITANCE TAXES (PROPONENT
' MILLER). INITIATIVE STATUTE.
PROPOSITION 6 GIFT AND INHERITANCE TAXES (PROPONENT
; ROGERS). INITIATIVE STATUTE.
' “ProraniTion 7 INCOME TAX. INDEXING. INITIATIVE STATUTE.
“PROPOSITION & Cananal JusTice . initiative STATUTES
° AND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, (Italics
; adueu.) : > a
“PROPOSITION 9 WATER PACILITIES INCLUDING A PERIPHERAL
CANAL. REFERENOUM STATUTE.
“ProrosiTion 10 R&APPORTIONMENT. CONGRESSIONAL
. DISTRICTS. REFERENDUM
STATUTE.
“ProrosiTiOn 11 REAPPORTIONMENT. SENATE DISTRICTS.
REFERENDUM STATUTE .
“PROPOSITION 12 RBAPPORTIONMENT. ASSEMBLY DISTRICTS.
REFERENDUM STATUTE. Es.
"IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set
State ba Onditoeida tte cee
a ix
day of March, 1982. tts
"/s/ EDMUND G. =
"/s/ G. BROWN, JR
"ATTEST:
"/s/ MARCH FONG EU
"Secretary of State
“by /s/ MARJORIE R. HERSEERGER”
30B
not held "at least 131 days after it
qualifies," denying the opponents the
required time in which to campaign against
the initiative which was not voted on at a
"general election." The contention is
without merit.
On January 22, 1982, in a writ
proceeding, Paul Gann et al. v. March
Fong Eu, case No. 301007, in the Superior
Court in and for the County of Sacramento
(Honorable Horace Cecceltini, judge,
presiding) Proposition 8 was ordered
qualified for the June 8 ballot as of
January 22, 1982, 135 days prior to the
election.
However, the defendant argues that
Proposition 8 was not "cleared"? for the
9. The State Public Defender's
Office in its amici brief used the word
ied" rather than "cleared." The
word "cleared" does not in Califor-
nia Constitution, article rr, on a ard
subdivision (c). (See fn. 8, ante.)
318
ballot until the state Supreme Court decided
Brosnahan v. Bu (1982) 31 Cal.3d 1 [181 Cal.
Rptr. 100, 641 P.2d 200], on March 11, 1962,
citing the dissenting opinion of Chief
Justice Bird [at p. 15, fn. 1] which stated
that "the constitutionality of submitting
an initiative to the voters at a June pri-
mary election would appear to be an open
question."
We cannot ignore the history of the
efforts of the proponents of Proposition
8 to place the initiative on the June 8
primary ballot as summarized by "THE
COURT” opinion in Brosnahan (set out haec
verba in fn. 10 below).2° ‘the Brosnahan
~~ dO. Following 18 the majority
opinion in 1
Cal.3d 1: TRE COURT ey re 2 -
ce petitioners seek to prevent
re = Bh aca of tusse ten from insti-
a ig 9 to placing on
the balkot at at the June primary
er an initiative measure relating
to 'Criminal Justice’ and entitled (in 7
1 thereof) 'The Victims' Bill of
Petitioners assert that re
failed to comply ee sta
sions number of
signatures to
measure for the ballot, and t the
(Footnote continued from previous page.)
eb measure is unconstitutional
ecause it contains more than one subject
(Cal.Const., art. II, § 8, subd. (d)) and
amounts to a ‘revision’ of the Constitu-
‘tion rather than an 'amendment' thereto
(see id. art. XVIII, §§ 1-3). .
e proponents of the initiative
measure duly presented to the appropriate
blic officials petitions containing
3,409 signatures. The number of valid
signatures neces to qualify the
measure for the ot under article II, at
section 8, subdivision (b), of the ie
Constitution is 555,790. Upon examination Ee.
of the certificates submitted by County at
officials on the basis of the random
sampling provided for in the Elections
. Code, respondent determined that the
petitions contained 108.76 percent of the
number of signatures required for a place
on the ballot. Respondent refused to take
steps to submit the measure to the voters
on the ground that the number of valid
signatures disclosed by the sample fell
short of the 110 percent then red by
section 3520, subdivision (g). tead,
she ordered local election officials to
verify each signature.
"The ag pment an of the measure, real
parties in interest in the present pro-
* ceeding, sought a writ of mandate before :
the Superior Court of Sacramento County ;
to compel respondent to certify the i
initiative as having qualified for the
ballot, and to take the steps required by
+ aac gree tae positied anae, although
en position ’
she was prohibited by law from certifying
the petitions because random sampling
(Continued)
338
™ Se i &ah™ Silty en ng
(Footnote continued from previous page.)
indicated fewer than 110 percent valid
signatures, she was nevertheless of the
opinion that the 108.76 percent valid
signatures found on the petitions
constituted substantial compliance with og
the requirement of the Elections Code to
qualify the measure for the ballot without
the need for verification of each signa-
ture. Following entry of a judgment,
stipulated by the ies, to the effect
that real parties had substantially
complied with the requirements of the
Elections Code so as to qualify the
initiative for the ballot, a writ of man- .
date was issued by the trial court direct-
ing respondent to certify the initiative
for the June 8, 1982, Primary Election,
and to take other steps required by law
to place the eaauare peters the voters in
that election.
"Thereafter, petitioners, who are
electors in various counties of the Famats
filed with us an original petition for writ
of mandate and prohibition to prevent
respondent from certifying the initiative
and to restrain her from performing any
act in aid of submission of the measure to
the voters. Because of the importance /
of the questions presented and the time
constraints involved, we issued an alterna-
tive writ of mandate and expedited briefing
V. California State ALF Re Seas
1
577, 523 P. 2d. 7} and cases cited. We
also issued a stay prohibiting joo 0 et
of the trial court's writ of mandate
proceeding disposition of the present
Vecektan
ae : 5 ees
se er i i; ~ : Vv ie Cs ee es
(Footnote continued from previous page.)
"While this case aad was pending,
the Legislature pass and the Governor
signed, an argenay measure (Stats. 1982,
one 102) providing that if, on or before
January 28, 1982, the Secretary of State
received from the several county clerks
certificates, based on a random sampling
technique, establishing that the number
of valid signatures affixed to an initia-
tive petition is more than 105 percent of
the number of qualified voters needed, the
petition shall be deemed to have qualified
for the ballot. The Secretary of State
received such certificates on or before
January 28, 1982.
"We conclude that the initiative
measure shall be placed on the ballot of
the June 1982 pr election.
"We do not reach the other issues
raised by petitioners. As we have fre-
quently observed, it is usually more
appropriate to review constitutional and
other challenges to ballot propositions
or initiative measures after an election
rather than to disrupt the electoral
process by prevent the exercise of the
people's franchise, the absence of
some clear showing of invalidity. (E.g.,
BSS to cabvipee. oa, ee 64 Cal.2d i.
13 P.2da 825
cai ai Foe. ese) 3 P24 6h 643]; gay
¥5 ofan E87 972) 25 cal res 3d 2 $357
"The gh ny 9 mae of the
judgment in Sacramento Superior Court, No.
301007, is vacated, and the peremptory
writs of mandate and prohibition are
denied. The judgment is final forthwith."
ee
_- —
BS a eres A
a
by
ay
Ps
35B
ides es ET om: me wits 2
oy fae ORS OPE Ae ET Pe eee
court concluded "[tJhat the initiative |
measure shall be placed on the ballot of | |
June 1982 primary election." The Brosnahan |
court also vacated its earlier stay of the ® :
judgment in superior court case No. 301007
which was followed by the certification of
the initiative proposition for election by
the Secretary of State.
We hold that Proposition 8 was con-
stitutionally eligible tees placed on -
the June 8 primary ballot. The initiative
was "qualified" when so ordered by the
superior court on January 22, 1982, well
in excess of the 13l-day requirement.
The fact that the state Supreme Court first
granted a stay of enforcement of case
No. 31007 and then vacated it on less
than the 13l-day period does not negate
qualification. To hold otherwise would
permit the opponents of any initiative to
| literally throw a monkey wrench into an
36B
initiative's qualification machinery by
merely filing a lawsuit and making only a
colorable showing for a stay order. Such
a result would be not only unreasonable
but ridiculous.
Even if the June 8, 1982, election
is not construed to be a "general election,"
it was a "statewide special election" for
purposes of all 12 initiatives then on the
statewide ballot. (See fn. 8, ante.) |
Any other reading of article II, section |
8, subdivision (c), would invalidate not
only Proposition 8 but also all the other
initiatives passed by the voters in this
and other earlier June statewide primary
elections. It also would require re-
submission of all 12 propositions on the
June 1982 ballot plus resubmission of
. countless propositions on the primary ba
ballot in previous years. Such an absurd |
result would be unconscionable and
unacceptable. "The right of initiative
is precious to the people and is one which
the courts are zealous to preserve to the
fullest tenable measure of spirit as well
as letter." (McFadden v. Jordan (1948)
32 CAl.2d 330, 332 [196 P.2d 787]; Perry
v. Jordan (1949) 34 Cal.2d 87, 90, 91
(207 P.2d 47].)
Finally, the state Legislature passed
an urgency measure (see fn. 8, ante) that
Proposition 8 be deemed to be "qualified"
for the June ballot provided on or before
January 28, 1982, the Secretary of State
received county clerk certificates, based
on random samplings, establishing that the
number of valid signatures affixed to the
initiative petition was more than 105
percent of the number of qualified voters
needed. Such certificates were received
by the Secretary of State on or before
January 28, 1982.
38B
2S
B. Is - idat th
0.
(4) Defendant next argues that
Proposition 8 in its entirety is uncon-
stitutional on its face because it vio-
lates the "single-subject" rule in
California Constitution, article II, sec-
tion 8, subdivision (a).22 Defendant's
reliance on Amador Valley Joint Union
High Sch. Dist. v. State Bd. of Boualiza-
tion (1978) 22 Cal.3d 208 [149 Cal.Rptr.
239, 583 P.2d 1281], and Brosnahan v. Bu,
supra, 31 Cal.3d 1, in support of this
argument is misplaced.
We construe the language and holding
in Amador Valley to be supportive of the
constitutionality of Proposition 8 in that
the court there applied the "reasonably
11. California Constitution,
article II, section 8, subdivision (4d)
(added Nov.8, 1966) provides: "An inia-
tive measure embrac more than one sub- )
ject may not be submitted to the electors .
or have any effect."
39B
germane" test in rejecting a challenge to
the constitutionality of Proposition 13
(the Jarvis-Gann tax initiative) on the
grounds that Proposition 13 violated the
single-subject rule. The Brasnahan case
is inapplicable since the majority of the
court declined to address the single-
subject issue prior to Proposition 8
being placed on the ballot. The dissent-
ing opinion of Chief Justice Bird and the
concurring and dissenting opinion of
Justice Mosk, which concluded that Proposi-
tion 8 did violate the single-subject rule
by employing the "functionally related"
test, is not a binding precedent. (31 Cal.
3d at pp. 1l, 17.) (See discussion, infra.)
~We hold that the single-subject rule
does not render Proposition 8 unconstitu-
tional as a whole because it satisfies
the requirements favoring the constitution-
ality of both legislation and initiatives
under the "reasonably germane" test as
discussed by the state Supreme Court in
landmark cases dating back 50 years.
The case of Evans v. Superior Court
(1932) 215 Cal. 58 [8 P.2d 467], interpret-
ed the single-subject rule in relation to
the legislative act establishing the
Probate Code. The code was upheld as
not embracing nore than one subject.
The act contained approximately 1,700
- sections which dealt with such matters
as the custody, disposal by will, success-
ion, administration, and distribution of
adecedents' estates and the custody and
administratiun of estates of persons
under guardianship.
The single-subject requirement for
initiative measures was added to the
California Constitution as article II,
section 8, subdivision (d), in November
1966. (See fn. 11, ante.)
ee
*
boy:
ex
at),
i
Ro,
A
visions, having one general object, if
In Perry v. Jorden, supra, 34 Cal.2d
87, the issue before the court was an
initiative constitutional amendment which
sought to repeal an article of the
California Constitution relating generally
to "aid to needy, aged and blind." The
opponents of the initiative argued that
the measure had four different purposes and
Claimed it had in all 18 incidental pur-
poses. (34 Cal.2d at p. 93.)
The Perry court construed the single-
subject provision adopted in 1948 (see fn.
11, ante) as upholding the validity of the
proposed constitutional amendment. The
court utilized the principles set forth
in the case law interpreting the single-
subject rule for legislation and quoted at
length from Evans v. Superior Court, supra,
215 Cal. 58, pages 62-63, as follows
(34 Cal.2d at pp. 92-93): "Numerous pro-
fairly indicated in the title, may be
- united in one act. Provisions governing
projects so related and interdependerit as
to constitute a single scheme may be
properly included within a single act.
(Barber v. Galloway, 195 Cal. 1, 3 [231 P.
34].) The Legislature may insert in a
; single act all legislation germane to the
general subject as expressed in its title
and within the.field of legislation
suggested thereby, (Treat v. Los Angeles
Gas Corp., 82 Cal.App. 610 [256 P. 447].)
Provisions which are logically germane to
the title of the act and are included
within its scope may be united. The
general purpose “of a statute being declar-
ed, the details provided for its accom-
plishment will be regarded as necessary
incidents. (Estate of Wellings, 192 Cal.
- 506, 519 [221 P. 628];. Buelke v.
Levenstadt, 190 Cal. 684, 687 [214 P. 42];
435
$ . »
et Ae ee - tne e j Vay
F =, _ r ws a ee ar eee TS Bers ee, ¥4
ee ees ae , Pe ge Whi Pon, te eet 3 te 7
os SEA ae eee Bete ee
Ee Rae eer ee, See Bee eS
and cases cited.) The language of this
court in Robinson v. Kerrigan, 151 Cal.
40, 51... ., is especially applicable to ;
this case at this point. A provision
which conduces to the act, or which is
auxiliary to and promotive of its main
purpose, or has a necessary and natural
connection with such purpose is germane
within the rule. ...'"
The Perry court further noted (again
quoting from Evans) at page 92 that; "'
. « « the [single-subject] provision is
not to receive a narrow or technical
construction in all cases, but is to be
construed liberally to uphold proper
legislation, all parts of which are
reasonably germane. (Heron v. Riley,
209 Cal. 507, 510 [289 P. 160].) ‘The :
provision was not enacted to provide -
means for the overthrow of legitimate |
legislation. (McClure v. Riley, 198 Cal.
44B
23, 26 [234 P. 429].). . .'" (Italics
added.) _
In Amador Valley Joint Union High
School Dist. v. State Board of Equalize-
tion, supra, 22 Cal.3d 208 (Bird, C. J.
concurring and dissenting by reason of
violation of the equal protection clause)
the state Supreme Court, applying the
reasonably germane test, held that
Proposition 13, (the Jarvis-Gann tax
initiative which added article XIII A
to the state Constitution imposing real
property assessment and tax rate limita-
tions and restrictions on state and local
taxes) satisfied the single-subject rule.
The Amador Valley court quoting from
Evans stated at pages 229, 230: "'[TJhe
[single-subject] provision is not to
receive a narrow or technical construction
in all cases, but is to be construed
liberally to uphold proper legislation,
45B
oc aS eee
all_parts of which are reasonably germane.
(Citation. ][%] Numerous provisions, having
one general object, if fairly indicated in
the title may be united in one act.
Provisions governing projects so related
and interdependent as to constitute a
Single scheme may be properly included
within a single act. [Citation.]'" (22
Cal.3d 208, 229-230.) (Italics in
original.)
In Amador Valley the court referring
to Perry stated at page 230: "We thus
draw from Perry its primary lesson that
an initiative measure will not violate
the single-subject requirement if, despite
its varied collateral effects, all of its
parts are ‘reasonably germane’ to each
other. We note also the existence of a
more restrictive test recently proposed *
in the dissenting opinion of Justice
Manuel in Schmitz v. Younger (1978) 21
46B
Cal.3d 90, 100 [145 Cal.Rptr. 517, 577 P.
2d 652], wherein he suggested that 'an
initiative's provisions must be function- 4
ally related in furtherance of a common
underlying purpose.' Our analysis of
article XIII A convinces us that the
several elements of that article satisfy
either standard in that they are both
reasonably germane to, and functionally
related in furtherance of, a common
underlying purpose, namely, effective real
property tax relief." (22 Cal.3d at pp.
229-230.) (Italics added.)
The Amador Valley court noted that
two purposes of this single-subject rule
were 1) to minimize the risk of voter
confusion and deception? and 2) to avoid
° e ° c concluded
the risk of voter c on was "diluted" 2
by taking judicial notice of the fact that is
the measure received a great deal of
Veents 5 ama prior to the election and
Continued )
exploiting the initiative process by
combining in a single measure several
provisions which might not have commanded
majority support if considered separate-
ly.?? The court found that neither such
(Footnote continued from previous page.)
the fact that the Voter's Pamphiet
so contained an elaborate and detailed
explanation of the various elements of
the measure. (Id., at p. 231.)
13. The Valiey court. found
. there was no "exploitation" of the voters
simply because the proposition could
have been presented as separate proposi-
tions as contended by itg opponents and
that the various elements\of Proposition
13 were designed to "intezlock with the
others to assure an effective tax relief
pro -" (Id., at p. 232.) The court
sta "Aside from the obvious difficulty
of ever establishing satisfactorily such
‘independent voter Stag this
standard would defeat man many ie egitimate
enactments containing iso » arguably
‘unpopular,' provisions Ae soe arpa deemed
necessary to the integrated funct
of the ce tage a as a whole.
FORE ie
purpose was frustrated by the passage of
Proposition 12.
In Fair Political Practices Com. v.
Superior Court (1979) 25 Cal.3d 33, 40-41
(157 Cal.Rptr. 855, 599 P.2d 46], the
California Supreme Court considered whether
the initiative concerning The Political
Reform Act of 1974 violated the single-
subject rule. That initiative had four
major subjects: 1) regulation of election
to public office, 2) regulation of ballot
measures, petitions and elections, 3)
regulation of public official conflicts
of interest, and 4) the regulation of
lobbyists.
After tracing the history of the
TFootnote continued from previous page.)
fag?) Wetauould' daft or Euunt, tts force
y for reasons that are constitutionall
only for and acc y we conclude tha
article XIII A does violate the single-
subject requirement of article II." (22
Cal.3d at p. 232.) (Italics added.)
49B
single-subject requirement for initiative
measures from its inception and the
application of the reasonably germane test
the Fair Political Practices court
concluded "Consistent with our duty to
uphold the people's right to initiative
process, we adhere to the reasonably
germane test and, in doing so, find that
the measure before us complies with the
one subject requirement." (25 Cal.3d 33,
41./ (Italics addea.)**
14. We quote at length from the
majority opinion by pet ro ph in rl
pais Political Be ecision exp -
@ reasons for adhering to the
"reasonably germane" test as distinguished
from a more restrictive test as urged by
the real in interest. "'The amend-
ment of the California Constitution in
1911 to provide for the initiative and
referendum signifies one of the outstand-
ing achievements of the ssive
movement of the early 1900's. Drafted in
light of the theory t all power of
government ultimately resides in the
people, the amendment speaks of the
initiative and referendum, not as a right
granted the people, but as a power
reserved to them. Declaring it "the duty
(Continued)
(Footnote continued from previous pase)
of the courts to ott guard thi
(a G85)°176 ¢ “App, 24 ee Rptr.
sot recaree
most 9 of our
; . Acker
a TBS “cal .App 24 55 ; : 1 Ca a
7 > " ur
judicial poi to apply « diberal Beral
to ower enever it is
rier er may be
oubts can
reasonably be er in favor of the use
of this reserve power, courts will preserve
it." ( ; 189 Cal.
Pe ot App . 34 So eahche e.
é2a]).!
v.
591 1155 » 557 4 2d tibet ta 33 =
A.L.R.3da 10 (fns. omitted);
(1967) 67 Cal.2d mi 28 al.
. 26, 431 P.2d 650]). (a] In ke
with that policy favoring the initia ine.
the voters may not be limited to brief
general statements but mav deal compre-
wa and in detail within an area of
w
"Although the initiative measure be-
fore us is wordy and complex, there is
little reason to ect t claimed
voter confusion could be eliminated or
substantially reduced by dividing the f
measure into four or ten separate pro- :
Pia nll Se
. foo
(Footnote commiaars a pity: page.)
°
P “2
cont a must Be borne.
or does the possibility that some
voters might vote for the measure--while
objecting to some parts--warrant rejection
of the reasonably germane test. Such risk
is inherent in any initiative conta
more than one sentence or even and ‘and
in a single sentence unless the provisions
are redundant.
“The enactment of laws whether by the
Legislature or by the voters in the last
' analysis always presents the issue whether
on balance the proposed act's benefits
exceed its shortcomings. If so, the
remedy for short comings is repeal,. which
will be difficult whether the law is
adopted by the Legislature or the peopie.
The difficulty of repeal is merely one
factor to be considered by legislators and
voters when cas their votes.
"Given the widespread public debate
of initiatives, the explanations in the
ballot pamphlets and in the media, and
the huge volume of legislative business--
over 1,000 bills enacted each year--it
is unreasonable to assume that the initia-
tive measures receive less scrutiny than
proposed pe re pai er
"The oll soy ae reserved the legis-
lative themselves as well as
having Eranted it to the slature,
there is no reason to hold t the —
people's power is more limited than that
of the Legislature, and the single sub-
ect r rements applicable to both
Continued)
52B
TT tere tel, a ee 8 Oe
a
“ G :
rs
7 aa
r
:
~s
ad
Turning to the case at bench and our
analysis of the text of Proposition 8
contained in the "California Ballot Pan-
phlet, Primary Election, June 8, 1982"
compiled by Secretary of State March Fong
Eu, (hereinafter referred to as "Voters
Pamphlet" and attached as Appen. A, post,
p. 1155) considered in light of Evans,
Perry, Amador Valley and Fair Political
Practices, and Crawford v. Board of Bduce-
tion (1980) 113 Cal.App.3d 633, 652, fn. 5
(170 Cal.Rptr. 495]), we hold applying the
reasonably germane test, that Proposition
8 does not violate the single-subject rule.
(Footnote continued from ote page.)
ers a Cope es art. II, § 8, subd.
1a); ext Fagg not be used to
setabiish ah
bee a ¥: $A Ba soe,
y, we adhere to the reasonably
germane test for both.
"The provisions of the initiative
are reasonably germane to the subject of
political practices, and there is no
violation of the one subject requirement."
(Italics added.) (25 Cal.3d at pp. 41-43.)
53B
Proposition 8 amends the Constitution ©
by deleting section 12 of article I deal-
ing with bail and by adding section 28 to
article I. Section 28 sets forth six .
provisions all dealing with the criminal
justice system in the areas of law
enforcement and criminal procedure. The
areas are restitution in criminal cases,
the right of students and staff to be
safe at school, evidence at criminal pro-
ceedings, bail, and use of prior convic-
tions in criminal proceedings. It is
made quite clear from the preamble to this
section (subdivision (a)) that the "Right
to Safe Schools" is a right to be free
from criminal conduct. The other pro-
"visions on their face concern criminal
procedural changes all designed to place
emphasis on the rights of the "other
party” to a crime--the victim. The
initiative also enacts statues which add
54B
certain sections to the Penal Code and the
Welfare and Institutions Code. Again
each one of these provisions relates to a
criminal law and procedure. Each is
designed to ensure that those who commit
crimes receive proper punishment and that
the victims and potential victims of crime
receive protection. (See Appen. A, post,
p. 1155.)
The "official" title and summary
prepared by the Attorney General fairly
described in concise terms the scope of
Proposition 8. Included in the Voters
Pamphlet was the complete text of
Proposition 8 for the voters to read.
(See Appen. A, post, p. 1155.)
An "Analysis by the Legislative
Analyst" William G. Hamm, appearing in
the Voters Pamphlet also pointed out that
Proposition 8 proposes many changes in
the State Constitution and statutory law
~~ 7 a rr —- - —™
that would alter criminal justice pro-
cedures and punishments and constitutional
rights." Mr. Hamm's analysis went on to
summarize the major changes. Both the
Attorney General and the Legislative
Analyst stressed that approval of the
measure would result in major state and
local fiscal costs. (See Appen. A., post,
p. 1155.) °
Each of the several provisions in
Proposition 8 are reasonably germane to
the one common purpose and general object
as expressed in the title of the initia-
tive which is to reform the criminal
justice system so that the system will
more effectively protect all California
citizens--victims and potential victims
of crime. Each of the provisions is
logically germane to the title. The
words “criminal justice" which appear as
the first two words of the official title
of the initiative constitute an acceptable
abreviation when taken in context and
reasonably refer to the entire system of
criminal justice. Each of the provisions
are auxiliary to and promote this main
purpose. |
The pro and rebuttal argunents by
prominent and knowledgeable governmental
officials and citizens involved in
Proposition 8 from its inception which
are incorporated in the Voters Pamphlet
make it absolutely clear that the single
general purpose and object of Proposition
8 is directed at reforming California's
system of criminal justice to make it
more responsive to the needs of all
California victims and potential victims
of criminal activity. (See the arguments
in favor of Prop. 8 by Lieutenant General a
Mike Curd, Attorney General George
Deukmejian, and the pro and rebuttal
F
f:
arguments of Paul Gann in Appen. A, post,
p. 1155.)
Any risk of "voter confusion" in
respect to Proposition 8 was dispelled by oT
wide general dissemination of the Voters
Pamphlet and heavy media coverage. The
Voters Pamphlet (Appen. A, post, p. 1155)
was mailed to every household in Califor-
nia where more than one voter with the
same surname resided and additional copies
were available free by either calling or
writing the county clerk or registrar of
voters. Each voter could personally read
the summary by the Attorney General, the
analysis by the Legislative Analyst, the
arguments pro and con and the complete
text of Proposition 8. We take judicial
notice of the massive statewide media
coverage prior to the June 8 primary
election which included editorial positions
taken by leading newspapers discussing the
58B
initiative and its predicted effects.
(Evid. Code, § 452, subd. (g).) Interest
in and, therefore, understanding of the
objective of the initiative and the role
each of the provisions played in achieving
that goal was heightened by the positions
taken on Proposition 8 by candidates
during the primary for statewide office
as well as media coverage of the pro and
con arguments in the Brosnahan case.
Nor has there been an "exploitation" F
of the voters by not presenting each
provision in Proposition 8 to them as a
separate initiative. The voters favored
the Cvheoathton by a vote of 2,770,225 ;
(56.4 percent) to 2,144,284 (43.6 percent). a
There is no showing, and it would be sheer |
speculation to assume that the result
would have been any different if any
provision contained in Proposition 8 had
been submitted to the voters as a
separate initiative. To the contrary, the
fact that Proposition 4 concerning bail
on the same ballot passed by a larger
margin of votes than did Proposition 8
which also has a bail provision would tend
to indicate that the voters selectively
considered each provision in Proposition
8, and there was some aspect of Proposi-
tion 8, other than the bail provision,
that contributed to the drop off of votes
as between the two propositions.?
I5. We note, without deciding, that
Proposition 4 concerning bail which paneed :
by a larger number of votes than did :
Proposition 8 may prevail only over those
provisions in Proposition 8 rela to
bail to the extent there is ac ct in
the provisions of the two propositions.
California Constitution, article XVIII,
section 4, provides: "A p sed amend-
sink ot eweleien. sas ot by a waserity of
electors approved a
votes thereon takes effect the day
the election unless the measure provides
otherwise. If of 2 or more
measures approved a same election
conflict, those of the measure a tl
se nie} adtarnaiee yo
60B
Furthermore, it would have been impractical
and illogical to require the thousands of
concerned citizens who carried the peti-
tion and the 663, 409 citizens who signed
the petition to shuffle such a mass of
separate petitions directed at the one
objective previously discussed. Moreover,
if there was a separate initiative process
for each provision of Proposition 8, it
would have unnecessarily lengthened the
ballot and created confusion for all con-
cerned.
We are not unaware of the concurring
and dissenting opinion of Justice Mosk and
the dissenting opinion of Chief Justice
Bird in Brosnahan v. Eu, supra, 31 Cal.3d
1. These justices express the view that
the more restrictive functionally related
test proposed by Justice Manuel in his
dissenting opinion in Schmitz v. Younger,
(1978) 21 Cal.3d 90 [145 Cal.Rptr. 517,
61B
Veleet @,
SOA) eae wir
577 P.2d 652] should be used to resolve the
single subject issue rather than the
reasonably germane test. (31 Cal.3d 1, 9,
17.)
The separate opinion of Justice Mosk
in Brosnahan states that the more restric-
tive functionally related test proposed
by Justice Manuel in his dissenting
opinion in Schmitz v. Younger, supra, 21
Cal.3d 90 was "introduced" in Amador Valley
and Fair Political Practices and "in
substantial effect it has been adopted by
this court. I fully accept it." (31 Cal.
34.1, 9.)
With due respect, our reading of
Amador Valley and Fair Political Practices
indicates that those cases did not
"introduce" the functionally related test
but merely acknowledged its "existence."
The majority opinion in Amador Valley
(per Richardson, J., with Tobriner, Mosk,
. >
ose - SS oe 7% se Re eee
é
Clark, Manuel and Newman, JJ. conc.),
states: "We note also the existence
(italics added) of a more restrictive test
recently proposed in the dissenting opinion
of Justice Manuel in Schmitz v. Younger
(1978) 21 Cal.3d 90, 100 [145 Cal.Rptr.
517, 577 P.2d 652], wherein he suggested
that ‘an initiative's provisions must be
functionally related in furtherance of a
common underlying purpose.' Our analysis
of article XIII A convinces us that the
several elements of that article satisfy
either standard in that they are both
reasonably germane to, and (italics
original) functionally related in further-
ance of a common underlying purpose,
namely, effective. real property tax
relief." (22 Cal.3d 208, 230.) Since
Proposition 13 (the Jarvis-Gann tax
initiative) met both the reasonably
germane and functionally related tests,
4
#3
a
*
"
fi
%
638
a n °
> " ’ 4 " . ‘ .* « . a.
~ Y : : , P ress . Dy an i %
SF ie eg. tt RS Pi Py ace” Bet) te Ola ee ae ay eNO ae
we construe the notation of the "existence"
of the latter as merely the driving of
another nail into the lid of the empty
coffin into which the opponents of
Proposition 13 wished to place it.
Our reading of Fair Political
Practices discloses that the majority did
not there "introduce" the functionally
related test. To the contrary the Fair
Political Practices majority opinion (per
Clark, J., with Mosk and Richardson, JJ.,
cone. )2® in over five pages discussing the
single-subject rule only briefly
mentioned the existence of the dissent of
Justice Manuel in Schmitz v. Younger,
Supra, 21 Cal.3d 90. Justice Clark
° ce Newman ac
and dissenting opinion stated "I e
with the majority conclusion that
e subject rule has not been violat-
ed. (25 Cal.3d 33; 50.)
Justice Tobriner concurred on the
basis of the functionally related test.
paged dissented by applying the
same ‘
stated emphatically that "Consistent with
our duty to uphold the people's right to
initiative process, we adhere to the
reasonably germane test and, in doing so,
find that the measure before us complies
with the one subject requirement." (25
Cal.3d 33, 41.) .
Accordingly, in our opinion, the
functionally related test was not "in
substantial effect" adopted (whatever that
means legally) by the Amador Valley and ©
Political Practices decisions. We are
bound by the reasonably germane test which
remains the law today. That test has
served Californians well during the past
50 years and was applied as recently as
1978 in the Amador Valley case and 1979
in Fair Political Practices. Nor do we
perceive any logical or persuasive reason
to suddenly jettison the reasonably
germane test in favor of the more restric-
tive functionally related test. The fact
that California's criminal justice system
ox is being gored by Proposition 8 is not
a legally cognizable reason for such a ®
sudden flip-flop in the test used for
resolving the single-subject issue presented
in this case.
In sum, we do not view Proposition 8
as the result of a so-called "log rolling"
exercise. (See, Schmitz v. Younger (1978)
21 Cal.3a 90, 93, 97 et seq. (dis. opn.)
(145 Cal.Rptr. 517, 577 P.2d 652]; Feir
Political Practices Com. v. Superior Court,
gupra, 25 Cal.3d 33, 40.) ‘The Proposition
8 "log" was used by the 2,770,225 concern-
ed citizens who voted for it as an
"[initiative] battering ram" (see, Amador
Valley Joint Union High Sch._Dist. v.
State Bd. of Zgualization, gupra, 22 Cal.
3a 208, 232 and fn. 12, ante)for the
legitimate purpose of protecting all
California citizens--victims or potential
victims of crime by bringing about
reasonable and meaningful reform in
California's criminal justice system.
(5) (See fn. 17.) We noid that
Proposition 8 does not violate the single-
subject requirement of article II, section
8, subdivision (d) of the California
Constitution.>’”
17. Ass ‘ , that the
functionally* relat ‘test is applied,
¥WFinction" is defined in Black's
Law gent gad tS ugh ed. 1979) West Publish-
st.
ing Co., Minn., as: "Derived
from Latin ‘functus, ' the past participle
of the verb ' r’' which means to per-
form, execute, a eter. « «6% e
nature and er action of 3
activi ate to any or
profession. . Office; duty; i11-
ment ore a_definite end oF act sc na By
the Cc e adjus tment > -
Tes added.) pa
~—~—#¥¥iRelated" is defined in Webster's
Third New International Dicti (1976),
Merriam-Webster, G. & C. Merriam
ingfield, Mass., as "having a relation-
: connected reason of an establised
or discoverable tion," and "Relation"
~ defined as "a logical bond; the state
being mutually or reciprocally interested."
(Continied)
Cc. ogit 8 onstitut
amendment or revision? An amendment.
(6a) Defendant Wilson next contends
that Proposition 8 is a constitutional
"revision" as distinguished from an
"amendment" and therefore unconstitutional.
Defendant and the State Public Defender as
amici, relying on McFadden v. Jordan,
(Footnote continued from preva ous page.)
we would still hold that sition 8
complies with the requirements of the .
s e-subject rule. The only uirement
of the functionally related test is that
the various provisions of an initiative
measure be "functionally related in further-
— of 5 common ee ae a poy ‘
rr. a
Pp. 33) The functionally related —
standard only precludes "the amalgamation 4
of unrelated provisions" under some " :
"broad umbrella" of a topic; it permits
lete but focused initiatives.
c
( 2 21 Cal.3d at
pp. 01 Cee eee ee astion 8
focuses on the rights of crime victims.
Each of its provisions is related in
furtherance of its to reform the
responsive to the needs and rights of
victims and potential victims of crime.
Proposition 8 does not constitute a
comprehensive revision of the entire
(Continued) |
(Footnote continued from previous page.)
criminal justice system, although its
provisions cover different areas within
the subject of criminal justice. It is
readily apparent that many of the various
a eg of Proposition 8 could have
een the subjects for separate ballot pro-
positions. However, none of the cases
construing the single-subject requirement
to date suggests that the above facts
alone demonstrate Proposition 8 violates
the single-subject e.
The provisions of an initiative mea-
sure’ under the functionally related test
only need be functionally » not
functionally ° provis-
ion need not be @ a precisely
ed
ear of a fine watch which must mesh with
e others in the operation of a sole
function. Neither the provisions of
Proposition 13 nor the provisions of the
Political Reform Act of 1974 could meet
such a stringent standard. Yet the
Supreme C found that both measures
satisfied the single-subject rule. Such
precision is not in the drafting
eh a "|initiative} battering ran."
5 Valley, supra, 22 Cal.3d 208, 228,
The relationship between the various
provisions of an initiative need only be
"in furtherance of the common purpose."
They all ly must be directed to the
same end whether it be real property tax
relief litical reform, or, as in
Proposd on 8 reform of the criminal
ce system as it relates to the actual ,
and poten victims of crime. Proposi-
tion 8's provisions are both reasona $
Peo ae functionally related to the mCi
e of its overall se-- i,
es pike meggal aired pr for the ss of haem
victims potential victims crimes. ¥
* i
eae
698 )
Supra, 32 Cal.2d 330, argue that Proposi-
tion 8 is a revision of the California
Constitution because the various provisions
of the initiative effect changes in three
codes and alter protections provided by at
least seven sections of the California
Constitution.
We hold that Proposition 8 is a
constitutional amendment and not a
constitutional revision and that it was
therefore properly adopted by the initia-
tive process. Our reasoning follows:
(7) It is clear that while the voters
may amend the state Constitution through
the initiative process set forth in
article II, section 8, the Constitution
may be revised only by two methods set
forth in article XVIII. Under the first
methoc, the Legislature must postpone the
revision to be submitted to the voters and
under the second, the Legislature must
ce
,
7
if
e
®
x
‘
submit to the voter's at a general election
the question of whether to call a consti-
tutional convention. (Amador Valley,
Supra, 22 Cal.3d 208, 221.) Thus an
initiative measure may not "revise" the
Constitution. (Id.)
The defendant's reliance on McFadden
v. Jordan, supra, 32 Cal.2d 330 is
misplaced. In McFadden the Supreme Court
in August 1948 struck down an initiative
measure which would have added 21,000 words
to the existing Constitution as being an
‘attempt to revise rather than amend the
Constitution. That initiative measure
dealt with varied and diverse subjects
including pensions, gambling, taxes,
oleomargarine, healing arts, civic centers,
senate reapportionment, fish and game, and
surface mining. Its enactment would have
repealed or substantially altered at
least 15 of the then 25 articles in the
Constitution.
Of significance here is the fact that
the Supreme Court in McFadden could not
apply the single-subject rule to the
challenged initiative measure since that
constitutional requirement was enacted at
the same election at which the challenged
initiative measure was scheduled to be
submitted to the voters.
The amendment/revision rationale
became much less important after enactment
of article II, section 8, subdivision (d),
of the California Constitution and was not
of necessity considered in the Fair
Political Practices case where the
Political Reform Act initiative was held
not to be violative of the single-subject
- rule.
In Amador Valley, supra, the state
Supreme Court considered the contention
that Proposition 13 was a revision rather
than an amendment to the Constitution. The
court reexamined its holdings in McFadden
: and in Livermore v. Waite (1894) 102 Cal.
z 113 [36 P. 425], an earlier decision upon
PD ~ watch the MeFadden court relied, end
; stated: "Taken together our Livermore and
‘ McFadden decisions mandate that our
: analysis in determining whether a particular
ig constitutional enactment is a revision or
¥ an amendment must be both guantitative and
: | Qualitative in nature. For example, an
" enactment which is so extensive in its
3 provisions as to change directly the
F ‘substantial entirety’ of the Constitution
by the deletion or alteration of numerous
4 existing provisions may well constitute a
» revision thereof. However, even a
relatively simple enactment may accomplish
such far reaching changes in the nature
of our basic governmental plan as to
amount to a revision also. In illustra-
Poctnte Gonttillied pa ce previous page.)
we would still hold that sition 8
re pe with the requirements of the
le-subject rule. The only ulrement
of the functionally related test is that
the various provisions of an initiative
measure be "functionally related in
teen wat of a common underl purpose."
Sets STE ,22 Cal.3d » at
(i ep ) eet tally related standard
only precludes "the amalgamation of un-
related provisions" under some "broad
umbrella" of a topic; it permits parse
but focused meni ae tut an ane
eae -3da at pp.
P ssent) RR. cosition 8 focuses on the
' rights of crime victims. Each of its
provisions is related in furtherance of
its to reform the criminal justice
system make it more responsive to the
needs and rights of victims and potential
_ victims of crime.
Proposition 8 does not constitute a
comprehensive revision to the entire
criminal justice system, although its
ig oo cover different areas within
pcan gs of criminal justice. It is
apparent that many of the various
provis ons of Proposition 8 could have been
subjects for separate ballot proposi-
rig B However, res ig the oars nage ae
e single-subject requiremen e
suggests that the above facts alone
demonstrate Proposition 8 violates the
single-subject rule.
The provisions of an initiative mea-
sure under the functionally related test
% only need be functionally » not
B. functionally provi-
Be sion need not a precisely machined
of a fine watch which must mesh wih
Continued)
wy ’ 7 i. 4
x 74B ae
Z
tion, ‘the parties herein appear to agree
that an enactment which purported to vest
. all judicial power in the Legislature
@ would amount to a revision without regard
either to the length or complexity of the
measure or the number of existing articles
or sections affected by such change."
(Amador Valley, supra, 22 Cal.3d at p.
223.)75 (1talics added.).
;
Is. e reme court in a |
Valley found that Proposition 1 enact- a
ing article XIII A, was not a revision of my!
the Constitution. In re to article - ae
XIII A's titative effect on the
Constitution, the court noted that it
only contained 400 words and significantly
affected only one other article of the
Constitution--article XIII. é
With respect to its qualitative effect
on the basic plan of government, the
i o2 SE: court rejected cally argument A
(6b) Under the quantitative and
qualitative test of Amador Valley,
Proposition 8 is an amendment and not a
revision of the state Constitution. In
quantitative effect the constitutional
amendment portion of Proposition 6 is not
extensive. It adds less than 700 words,
approximately one-fourth of which consti-
“ate a preamble. It expressly repeals
only one section of the Constitution and
adds only one. The repealed section dealt
with bail and pretrial release. There is
no comparison between the quantitative
aspects of this amendment and the "amend-
ment" ruled invalid in Mc Fadden.
With respect to the qualitative nature
of Proposition 8, it obviously does not
restructure the basic plan of government.
The fact the amendment may have a signifi-
cant fiscal impact on local and state
government does not make it a "revision."
(Cf. Amador Valley, supra.)
From both a qualitative and quanti-
tative viewpoint, Proposition 8 is
considerably less expansive than the
Political Reform Act Initiative of 1974,
upheld as valid, which contained more than
20,000 words and which covered such diverse
subjects as elections, public officers, and
lobbyists.
(8) In summary, we hold that Proposi-
tion 8 was constitutionally eligible for
the Jume 1962 primary ballot, does not
violate the single-subject requirement of
' article II and is a constitutional
amendment as distinguished from a consti-
tutional revision. We hold that Proposi-
tion 8 on its face is a valid constitu-
tional amendment which became effective
on June 9, 1982.
D. Does Proposition 8 comply with funda-
mental constitutional purposes and
principles? Yes.
Proposition 8 is in complete harmony
with the basic purpose of our American
form of constitutional government. Broad
constitutional principles reinforce,
buttress and underpin our holdings on the
narrower constitutional issues raised in
the instant case, as hereinbefore discussed.
’ Indeed, to hold other than we have in
respect to the narrower constitutional
issues would not merely strike a discordant
note with, but would also violate, those
basic overriding constitutional purposes
and principles. We deem it necessary and
appropriate to again review historically
and reaffirm, those basic constitutional
purposes and principles and assess their
relationship to the case at bench.
The founding fathers of this democra-
tic republic deliberated on the most
persistent and perplexing of all political
problems, the tensions between the claims
of order and the claims of freedom. They
tipped the balance in favor of social
order. (See Kirk, The Roots of American
Order, sponsored by Pepperdine University,
Open Court, La Salle, I11., 1974.)7?9
The three major historic documents
the United States had produced ((1) the
Declaration of Independence, (2) the
Constitution, and (3) the Federalist) all
confirm that the fundamental purpose of
our American form of government is to
provide security for its citizens from
19. The frontispiece states: "The
tion of this book has been red
| epperdine University as a contribution
toward the celebrating of the Bicentennial
the United States; it is meant to assist
of
in renewing an apprehension of America's
threats both outside and within its
borders, so they may enjoy their individual
freedoms.
The Declaration of Independence was
written by the 33-year-old Thomas Jefferson
in the parlor of his second floor walkup
in Philadelphia in a half-day's time.
This document with only a few corrections
was reported to Congress.
On July 4, 1776, the Declaration was
signed by 56 of our founding fathers, 24
of whom were lawyers and jurists. The
second paragraph of the Declaration states:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident
that all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain
inalienable rights, that among these are
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
That to secure these rights, governments
are instituted among men, deriving their
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governed."
The revolution and the Declaration of
Independence made America an independent
nation. The Constitution made us a united
nation. On May 14, 1787, the historic
constitutional convention convened in
Constitution Hall in Philadelphia. Follow-
ing four months of stormy debate in secret
_ session the delegates hammered out the
Constitution, which was ratified on
September 17, 1787. The Constitution
became our blueprint for order and
liberty under law. The preamble to the
Constitution states the purpose of the
Constitution: "We the people of the
United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure
domestic Tranquility, provide for the
common defense, promote the general Welfare,
and secure the Blessings of Liberty to
Ourselvés\and our Posterity, do ordain and
establish this Constitution for the
United States of America."
On December 15, 1791, in fulfillment
of a promise to the anti-Federalists, the
first 10 amendments (the Bill of Rights)
were adopted to serve as a legal canopy
for protection of personal freedoms from
governmental encroachment. However,
"(P]rimarily, governments exist for the
maintenance of social order." (Chicago v. |
Sturges (1911) 222 U.S. 313, 322 [56 L.Ed.
215, 220, 32 S.Ct. 92).) "The Bill of
Rights was not intended to deny that
primary mission. This is not to belittle
the inestimable rights thus consecrated,
but rather to say that those rights may
not be read to defeat the very reason for
government itself." (State v. Biseccia
(1971) 58 N.J. 586 [279 A.2d 675).)
"The Federalist" is a series of 85
essays written by Alexander Hamilton,
James Madison and John Jay between October
1787 and May 1788. The essays were print-
ed, under the pseudonym of "Publius" in
New York newspapers to persuade the people
of New York to ratify the new federal
Constitution. Thomas Jefferson acclaimed
"The Federalist" as "The best commentary
on the principles of government ever
written."
"The Federalist" is accepted as an
authoritative treatise on the principles
of the American constitutional form of
government and has often been quoted in
Supreme Court decisions. An analysis of
"The Federalist" compels the conclusion
that the founding fathers designed the
federal Constitution to insure that the
people are sovereign and to provide for
an orderly society as clearly stated in
the Preamble. (See "The Federalist,"
Franklin Library, Franklin Center, Pa.,
1977.)
The California State Constitution
has, in substance, adopted the primary
purpose and basic principles of the
federal Constitution. Article I, section
1 of the Constitution of the State of C
California proclaims: “All people are
by nature free and independent, and have
certain inalienable rights, among which are
those of enjoying and defending life and
liberty; acquiring, possessing, and pro-
tecting property; and pursuing and obtain-
ing safety, happiness, and privacy."
Of particular significance to the case
at bench and Proposition 8 is article II,
section 1 of the California Constitution,
which declares: "All political
power is inherent in the people. Govern-
ment is instituted for their protection,
security, and benefit, and they have the
right to alter or reform it when the public
good may require."
The passage of Proposition 8 should
come as no surprise in view of the Pre-
amble to the federal Constitution, and
article I, section 1 and article II,
section 1 of California's Constitution,
85B
and the escalating crime problem. After
the cabooses of the Proposition 13 (the
Jarvis-Gann tax initiative) and the
Proposition 1 (the antiforced busing
initiative) trains cleared the polling
station, Proposition 8 (the victims' Bill
of Rights initiative) could be heard
coming down the track without putting an
ear to the rail.
The Proposition 8 initiative was
passed because of the public's perception
that the stewards of the criminal justice
system had failed. to come to grips ina
realistic and common sense manner with the
mounting crime wave. (See fn. 20 below“?
and the FBI Crime Index statistics on
California, infra.)
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expectation for a large segment of the
American
It is the duty of every governmental
agency and official in all three branches
of government affected by Proposition 8
(Footnote continued from pervious page.)
by the American Bar Association, (Spring
1982, vol. 21, No. 2). The article
discusses "The National 1978 Yankelovich
Poll" which reflected public expectations
and concerns with the courts.
The Yankelovich Poll Report stated:
"The following iy expectations of
the public emerge: (1) courts should
protect society; (2) courts should insure
equality and fairness; (3) quality
performance by courts and court personnel
is measured responsiveness, competence,
and accessibility. These expectations are
simultaneously held. Perceived failure
to meet these expectations underlies the
desire for reform"
The Yankelovich Poll concluded that:
"Street crime was viewed by 88 percent as
the most serious public problem. While
the public by no means expects courts
alone to solve the crime problem, it does
Clearly expect them wget goed a role.
Courts are currently
public. The perceived bility
of courts to reduce the crime rate is the .
to implement the various provisions of
the initiative in accordance with the
will and command of the sovereign people.
Disputes which may arise over the imple-
mentation of any particular provision
in the initiative will of necessity have
to be resolved by the third branch in
accordance with controlling law.
"Truth in Evidence" Provision
A. General:
Proposition 8 adds to article I of
the state Constitution section 28, : ¥
subdivision (d), which provides: "Right :
te Truth in Evidence. BExcept as provided 3
by statute hereafter enacted by a two-
thirds vote of membership in each house of
the Legislature, relevant evidence shall
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dng, including pretrial and post conviction
motions and hearings or in any trial or
hearing of a juvenile for a criminal
offense, whether heard in juvenile or
adult court. Nothing in this section
shall affect any existing statutory rule
of evidence relating to privilege or hear-
say, or Evidence Code Sections 352, 782
or 1103. Nothing in this section shall
5 affect any existing statutory or
: ; constitutional rights of the press."
4 (Italics added.)
(9) We conclude that the above
Truth-in-Evidence provision of Proposi-
tion 8 (§ 28, subd. (d)) which became |
effective on June 9, 1962, repealed by <
implication section 1538.5, subdivision
(a)*> and modified article I, sections
13°" and 24°° of the California Constitu-
tion to the extend that they may conflict.
It is common knowledge that since
the adoption by the people in 1974 of
article I, sections 13 and 24, of the
California Constitution, California
1 eye tyctne: previous @ continued.)
$92 in relevant part p des that:
ijf Re search or seizure motion is
granted pursuant. to the proceedings
authorized by this section, the property
or evidence shall not be admissible a t
the movant at + trial or other hear
unless further e authorized by
this section or section 1238 or Section
ge eee by the people." (See
. , °
22. cle I a 13, of the
California Constitution med yh sah om
"The right of people to
be secure in their persons, Sodeek.
rs, and effects against unreasonable
seizures and searches may not be
violated. .. ."
| 23. Section 24 of the California
courts have used those California consti tu-
tional provisions to develop the doctrine
of "independent state grounds." The effect
of this doctrine, purportedly to secure
for the people of this state greater
rights than guaranteed by the federal
Constitution, has been the suppression of
evidence which would have been admissible
under federal law. (See People v.
Brisendine (1975) 13 Cal.3d 528, 553 [119
Cal.Rptr. 315, 531 P.2d 1099].) |
The Truth-in-Evidence. provision, as
correctly stated by the Legislative
Analysis in the Voters Pamphlet "(c]Jould
not affect federal restrictions on the use
of evidence" (see Appen. A, post, p. 1155).
This is so by reason of the supremacy of
' the United States Constitution over state
constitutions as recognized in article III,
“ we eG Por
s in i
section 1, of the California Constitution
that "The State of California is an insepar-
able part of the United States of America, /
and the United States Constitution is the T OF
supreme law of the land."
In the arguments presented in the
Voters Pamphlet made in favor of Proposi- ‘
tion 8, Lieutenant Governor Mike Curb
urged voters to ", . »« restore balance to
the rules governing the use of evidence :
against criminals... ." Attorney
4 General George Deukmejian observed that .
id ", . . higher courts of this state have 4
F created additional rights for the crimin- >
i ally accused and placed more restrictions .
4 on law enforcement officers. This propo- 3 4
x sition will overcome some of the adverse F
& decisions by our higher courts." The
yr analysis by the Legislative Analyst
ty »
informed the voters that "The California
criminal justice system is governed by the
State Constitution, by statutes enacted by
the Legislature and the people and by
court rulings." Furthermore, article I,
section 28, subdivision (d), "could not
affect federal restrictions on the use of
evidence." (See Appen. A, post, p. 1155.)
Generally speaking, the Truth-in-
Evidence provision by its plain language
effectively abolishes the application of
the Exclusionary Rule in any criminal
proceeding vind California constitutional,
statutory, and decisional law to the extent
that such laws may conflict with the federal
law.
The voters on June 8, 1982, were
given a choice between adopting the
California or federal standards on the
admission of relevant evidence. The
rebuttal argument to Proposition 8
informed the voters that the proposition
would make radical changes in the state
Constitution. The passage of Proposition
8 was a clear repudiation, by the people,
of state law embellishments on federal
decisions which operate to exclude rele-
vant evidence from criminal proceedings.
The repeal by implication of section
1538.5 subdivision (d) and article I,
sections 13 and 24, of the California
Constitution by the people in the Truth-
in-Evidence provision of Proposition 8
(§ 28, subd. (d)) is supported by well
recognized rules of construction.
(10) In QOtguke v. Hite (1966) 64 Cal.
24 596 [51 Cal.Rptr. 264, 414 P.2d 412],
the court stated at page 606: "It has
vt
long been a cardinal rule, of course, that
if a provision of the California Constitu-
tion is ‘capable of two constructions,
one of which could cause a conflict with
the federal constitution, the other must
be adopted.' [Citation omitted. ]"
Likewise, when a later statute supercedes
or substantially modifies an earlier law
that law is by implication repealed or
partially repealed. (Sacramento Newspaper
Guild v. Sacramento County Bd. of Suprs.
(1968) 263 Cal.App.24 42, 54 [69 Cal.Rptr.
480].) Repeals by implication occur only
where the two acts are so inconsistent
that there is no possibility of concurrent
operation or where the later provision
gives undebatable evidence of an intent to
supersede the earlier. (Jbid.)
The classic rule of construction
which is applicable to a resolution of the
impact of section 28, subdivision (d), is
set forth in Estate of Pardue (1937) 22
Cal.App.2d 178, 180-181 [70 P.2d 678]: »
"If a statute enumerates the persons or
things to be affected by its provisions,
there is an implied exclusion of others,
and if a statute specifies one exception
to a general rule, other exceptions or
effects are excluded; in other words, as
has been frequently held, a general
provision of a statute is controlled by a
specific and express exception. It is an
elementary rule of construction that the
expression of one excludes the other. And
it is equally well settled that the court
is without power to supply an omission." |
(accord, In re De Neef (1941) 42 Cal.App.
24 691, 694 [109 P.2a 741].) Aa
Defendant Wilson contends that the
Truth-in-Evidence provision of Proposition
8 (§ 28, subd. (d)) should not be applied |
retroactively to this case and to do so
would violate the proscription against ex
post facto laws and deny him equal protec-
— atti. in De
tion and due process of law. The resolu-
tion of these contentions necessarily
includes consideration of the source,
declared purpose, and the effect of the
- Exclusionary Rule in criminal proceedings.
The Exclusionary Rule can be defined
as a rule of evidence which prohibits the
admission into evidence at trial of that
which was later determined by a court to
have been obtained by a government agent
‘ as a result of “unreasonable search and
seizure" in violation of the Fourth
Amendment to the United States Constitution
and the comparable provision in the
California Constitution.
The Exclusionary Rule was not known
to the common law. Its foundation as a
rule of evidence was laid in 1886 in the
case of Boyd v. United States (1886) 116
U.S. 616 [29 L.Bd. 746, 6 S.Ct. 524]. The
rule was first applied in 1914 in federal
courts (Weeks v. United States (1914) 232
U.S. 383 [56 L.Bd. 652, 34 S.Ct. 341]) and
adopted by the California Supreme Court in
1955 (People v. Cahan (1955) 44 Cal.2d
434 [282 P.2d 905, 50-A.L.R.2d 513]). ‘The
United States Supreme Court extended the
rule in 1961 to all state courts (Mapp v.
Qhio (1961) 367 U.S. 643 [6 L.Ed.2d 1061,
81 S.Ct. 1684, 84 A.L.R.24 933)).
In 1967 the California Legislature
embalmed the rule in section 1538.5. The
California Supreme Court in People v-
hs Mae ba ce Se
Belleci (1979) 24 Cal.3a 879 [157 Cal.Rptr.
503, 98 P.2d 473] overruled decisions
permitting limited use of suppressed
evidence for purposes other than determina-
tion of guilt theorizing that language in
subdivision (d) stating that evidence
suppressed pursuant to section 1538.5
"shall not be admissible against the
movant at any trial or other hearing,"
constituted a limited "statutory exclusion-
ary rule." Belleci thereby banned use of
previously suppressed evidence for purposes
of parole and probation revocation, sentenc-
ing, and impeachment at trial.
The Exclusionary Rule was premised
upon the assertion that exclusion was the
only available sanction which would
effectively discourage and deter improper ¥
police methods and which would thereby = :
_ protect the citizen's right to freedom ys
from unreasonable searches and seizures
guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States. "The
rule is calculated to prevent, not to
repair. Its purpose is to deter-—-to compel
respect for the constitutional guaranty
in the only effectively available way-—by
removing the incentive to disregard it."
(Elkins v. United States (1960) 364 U.S.
206, 217 [4 L.Bd.2d 11669, 1677, 80 S.Ct.
1437]; italics added.)
In- United States v. Calandra (1973) |
414 U.S. 338, 348 [38 L.Bd.2d 561, 571, 7
94 S.Ct. 613], Justice Powell, writing for
the court, concluded: "In sum, the
Exclusionary Rule is a judicially apeated
remedy designed to safeguard Fourth Amend- g
ment rights generally through its deterrent
effect, . . . ." (Italics added.)
Unquestionably the sovereign people
of California have the right and power
through the initiative process to amend
remedies, previously put into effect
to enforce individual state and federal
constitutional rights, in order to make
a state remedies coincide with those
g supplied under federal law.
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Instructive in resolving the issues
present here in respect to the Truth-in-
Evidence provision is the teaching of the
recent United States Supreme Court opinion @
in Crawford v. Board of Education (1982)*--
U.S. -- [ -- L.Ed.2d --, -- S.Ct. --]
decided on June 30, 1982 (No. 81-38) per-
taining to California's Proposition I (the
antiforced busing initiative).°*
While the subject matter of Proposition
I (the antiforced busing initiative) in
the Crawford case differs from Proposition
Week 9 eg Be Vg
° e Proposition I initiative
amended the due process and equal protec-
tion clauses of the California state
Constitution to provide that state courts
shall not order mandatory pupil assignment
or transportation unless a federal court
Brun! protectich etatae of°tte fouctecn
clause th
ee to the United States Constitu-
8 (the "Victims' Bill of Rights" initiative)
both initiatives arose out of widespread
public dissatisfaction with remedies
3 @ applied by California governmental agencies,
: especially the state courts, to enforce
individual constitutional rights. In ;
Crawford the equal
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