Brown v. United States

Decision Date24 May 1926
Docket NumberNo. 4769.,4769.
Citation12 F.2d 926
PartiesBROWN v. UNITED STATES.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — Ninth Circuit

Lord & Moulton, of Portland, Or., for plaintiff in error.

George Neuner, U. S. Atty., and Forrest E. Littlefield, Asst. U. S. Atty., both of Portland, Or.

Before GILBERT, HUNT, and RUDKIN, Circuit Judges.

GILBERT, Circuit Judge.

This writ of error presents the question whether constitutional rights were violated in the case in which the plaintiff in error was convicted under an information charging him with unlawful possession of intoxicating liquor. The facts were that a federal prohibition officer informed a member of the local police force that an automobile load of intoxicating liquors was to be delivered that evening at a house which he designated by street and number, and inquired of him whether he knew anything about the place. The police officer answered that he knew of the place and that he had a search warrant for it. Thereafter two police officers in one car and three prohibition officers in another went to the place, and in the vicinity thereof stationed themselves and waited until an automobile was driven into the garage and lights were turned on in the house. Some 20 minutes later the police officers entered the house and discovered therein a large quantity of intoxicating liquors. Being informed of this discovery, the prohibition officers entered and assisted the police officers in removing the liquors. The plaintiff in error on his own choice was prosecuted in the federal court, rather than in the state court under the state statute.

It is contended that the search and seizure were illegal, and that the participation therein by the federal officers was such as to render the evidence inadmissible on the trial. Decisions are cited to the effect that such association of federal officers with a wrongful search and seizure will bring the case within the operation of the Fourth Amendment. In the present case, however, there was failure to show that the police officers were acting under agreement with or at the instigation of the federal officers. The court below, to whom the case was submitted for decision, a jury having been waived, expressly found that there was no such agreement or understanding, but that, on the contrary, the evidence was that the police officers on their own initiative had procured a search warrant under the state law to search the house before the federal officers conferred with them. The federal officers,...

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4 cases
  • Elkins v. United States
    • United States
    • U.S. Supreme Court
    • June 27, 1960
    ...6 Cir., 286 F. 935; Fowler v. United States, 7 Cir., 62 F.2d 656 (dictum); Elam v. United States, 8 Cir., 7 F.2d 887; Brown v. United States, 9 Cir., 12 F.2d 926; Gilbert v. United States, 10 Cir., 163 F.2d 325; Shelton v. United States, 83 U.S.App.D.C. 257, 169 F.2d 665, overruled by Hanna......
  • Bell v. Hood
    • United States
    • U.S. District Court — Southern District of California
    • May 2, 1947
    ...34 S.Ct. 341, 58 L.Ed. 652, L.R.A.1915B, 834, Ann.Cas.1915C, 1177; Hall v. United States, 9 Cir., 1930, 41 F.2d 54; Brown v. United States, 9 Cir., 1926, 12 F.2d 926. As applied to the case at bar, then, the Fourth and Fifth Amendments only limit the authority of the defendants while acting......
  • Andersen v. United States
    • United States
    • U.S. Court of Appeals — Ninth Circuit
    • September 21, 1956
    ...383, 398, 34 S.Ct. 341, 58 L.Ed. 652; Burdeau v. McDowell, 1921, 256 U. S. 465, 475-476, 41 S.Ct. 574, 65 L.Ed. 1048; Brown v. United States, 9 Cir., 1926, 12 F.2d 926; Latimer v. Cranor, 9 Cir., 1954, 214 F.2d 926, 928; Williams v. United States, 9 Cir., 1954, 215 F.2d 695, 696; United Sta......
  • Moody v. United States
    • United States
    • D.C. Court of Appeals
    • August 5, 1960
    ...F.2d 124; Gallegos v. United States, 10 Cir., 1956, 237 F.2d 694; Milburne v. United States, 2 Cir., 1935, 77 F.2d 310; Brown v. United States, 9 Cir., 1926, 12 F.2d 926. But see Hanna v. United States, 1958, 104 U.S.App. D.C. 205, 260 F.2d 6. Byars v. United States, 1927, 273 U.S. 28, 47 S......

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